Erebor Mons is amountain onTitan, the largestmoon of the planetSaturn. It is located near Titan'sequator, between 4–5° south and 35–36° west, centered on4°58′S36°14′W / 4.97°S 36.23°W /-4.97; -36.23,[1] in the western part ofQuivira region.[2] It is 40 km across, more than 1 km high, and has lobate flow features to its north and east. It is probably acryovolcano.[3] Erebor Mons is situated about 470 km to the north-northeast of a larger cryovolcanic construct,Doom Mons.[3]
Erebor Mons is one of the highest known mountains of Titan, but it is not readily discernible on radar or infrared images. It was discovered only when stereoscopic radar data allowed the construction of an elevation map. It was imaged byCassini radar 22 February and 10 April 2007.[3]
Erebor Mons is named afterErebor, the "Lonely Mountain" that appears inJ. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world ofMiddle-earth, most prominently inThe Hobbit.[1] The name follows a convention that Titanean Mountains are named after mountains in Tolkien's work.[4] The name was formally announced on November 13, 2012.[5]
^ab"Erebor Mons".Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN). 2012-11-13. Retrieved2014-06-07.