Rilke is a crater on Mercury. Its name was adopted by the

International Astronomical Union The International Astronomical Union (IAU; , UAI) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach, education, and developmen ...

(IAU) in 1976. Rilke is named for the German poet

Rainer Maria Rilke René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was an Austrian poet and novelist. Acclaimed as an Idiosyncrasy, idiosyncratic and expressive poet, he is widely recognized as ...

. There is an irregular depression near the center of the crater. Such depressions in similar craters (for example Glinka,

Gibran Gibran Khalil Gibran (January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931), usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist; he was also considered a philosopher, although he himself rejected the title. ...

, or

Picasso Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...

) are thought to be caused by explosive volcanism.David Pegg, David Rothery, M.R. Balme, Susan Conway, 2021. Explosive vent sites on Mercury: Commonplace multiple eruptions and their implications. Icarus 365:114510
doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114510
/ref> To the north of Rilke are Matabei and Pigalle craters. To the southwest are Po Ya and Sōtatsu. Matabei crater MESSENGER WAC IGF to RGB.jpg, Exaggerated color view with Rilke at bottom center. Note the bright yellow color around the depression. Rilke crater EN0242886003M.jpg, Oblique view of Rilke clearly showing the irregular depression near center Rilke crater EN1015882375M.jpg, Distant oblique view

References

Impact craters on Mercury {{Mercury-planet-stub