Carolan is a crater on Mercury. Its name was suggested by an Irishman, Fergal Donnelly, and two Americans, Joseph Brusseau and Deane Morrison, in a naming contest which was eventually adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) on 2015.[1] Carolan is named for the Irish composer and performer Turlough O'Carolan, who lived from 1670 to 1738 C.E.[2] The craters Kulthum, Enheduanna, Karsh, and Rivera were also named as part of the contest.
 MESSENGER WAC image of Carolan | |
| Feature type | Impact crater |
|---|---|
| Location | Borealis quadrangle, Mercury |
| Coordinates | 83°53′N 31°46′E / 83.88°N 31.77°E |
| Diameter | 24.34 km (15.12 mi) |
| Eponym | Turlough O'Carolan |
S band radar data from the Arecibo Observatory collected between 1999 and 2005 indicates a radar-bright area along the southern interior of Carolan, which is probably indicative of a water ice deposit, and lies within the permanently shadowed part of the crater.[3] MESSENGER's Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) was used to measure surface reflectance of the surface of the planet, and the radar-bright material is covered by low-reflectance material.[4]
Carolan lies to the southwest of the large crater Prokofiev.