posted 12-16-2014 12:51 PM               

Immortalize an important person in the Arts and Humanities from any nation or cultural group by having a crater on the planet Mercury named in their honor!

The MESSENGER Team is seeking help from all Earthlings to suggest names for five impact craters on Mercury. We will accept submissions beginning midnight (00:00 UTC) December 15, 2014 until January 15, 2015 (23:59 UTC).

All entries will be reviewed by Team representatives and expert panels. Then, 15 finalist names will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for selection of the 5 winners.

Winning submissions will be announced by the IAU to coincide with MESSENGER's End of Mission Operations in late March/April 2015.

1. impact craters are named in honor of people who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to the Arts and Humanities (visual artists, writers, poets, dancers, architects, musicians, composers and so on)

2. the person must have been recognized as an art-historically significant figure for more than 50 years and must have been dead for at least three years

3. no other features in the Solar System can have the same name (see also the current list of named Mercury craters)

4. the name should not have any political, religious or military significance