Archimedes (crater)
 | This article includes a list of generalreferences,butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations.(October 2012) |
 LROimage | |
| Coordinates | 39°42′N4°12′W/ 39.7°N 4.2°W |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 81 km |
| Depth | 2.1 km |
| Colongitude | 4° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Archimedes |
Archimedesis a largelunarimpact crateron the eastern edges of theMare Imbrium.Its diameter is 81 km.[1]
Description[edit]
The diameter of Archimedes is the largest of any crater on theMare Imbrium.The rim has a significant outer rampart brightened with ejecta and the upper portion of a terraced inner wall, but lacks theray systemassociated with younger craters. A triangular promontory extends 30 kilometers from the southeast of the rim.
The interior of the crater lacks a central peak, and is flooded with lava. It is devoid of significant raised features, although there are a few tiny meteor craters near the rim. Scattered wisps of bright ray material lie across the floor, most likely deposited by the impact that created Autolycus.
Archimedes is a crater of Upper (Late)Imbrianage.[2]
Surroundings[edit]
To the south of Archimedes extends theMontes Archimedes,a mountainous region. On the southeastern rim is thePalus Putredinis,a lava-flooded plain containing a system ofrillesnamed the Rimae Archimedes, which extends over 150 kilometers. North-northwest of Archimedes stand theMontes Spitzbergen,a string of peaks in theMare Imbrium.East of Archimedes is the craterAutolycus.Northeast of Archimedes is the prominent craterAristillus.The lava plain between Archimedes, Aristillus, and Autolycus forms theSinus Lunicusbay ofMare Imbrium.A wrinkle ridge leads away from Archimedes toward the north-northwest, crossing thismare.
Names[edit]
Archimedes is named after the Greek scientistArchimedes.[1]Like many of the craters on the Moon's near side, it was given its name byGiovanni Riccioli,whose 1651 nomenclature system has become standardized.[3]Earlier lunar cartographers had given the feature different names.Michael van Langren's 1645 map calls it "Roma" after the city ofRome.[4]Johannes Heveliuscalled it "Mons Argentarius" afterMonte Argentarioregion inItaly.[5]
Exploration[edit]
The stretch of lunar surface between Archimedes and Autolycus was the site of the crash-landing of theSovietprobeLuna 2.This was the first craft to reach the surface of the Moon, landing September 13, 1959.[6]
Satellite craters[edit]
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Archimedes.
| Archimedes | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 31.6° N | 1.5° W | 8 km |
| D | 32.2° N | 2.6° W | 5 km |
| E | 25.0° N | 7.2° W | 3 km |
| G | 29.1° N | 8.2° W | 3 km |
| H | 23.9° N | 7.0° W | 4 km |
| L | 25.0° N | 2.6° W | 4 km |
| M | 26.1° N | 3.2° W | 3 km |
| N | 24.1° N | 3.9° W | 3 km |
| P | 25.9° N | 2.5° W | 3 km |
| Q | 28.5° N | 2.4° W | 3 km |
| R | 26.0° N | 6.6° W | 4 km |
| S | 29.5° N | 2.7° W | 3 km |
| T | 30.3° N | 5.0° W | 3 km |
| U | 32.8° N | 1.9° W | 3 km |
| V | 32.9° N | 4.0° W | 3 km |
| W | 23.8° N | 6.2° W | 4 km |
| X | 31.0° N | 8.0° W | 2 km |
| Y | 29.9° N | 9.5° W | 2 km |
| Z | 26.8° N | 1.4° W | 2 km |
The following craters have been renamed by theIAU.
- Archimedes A -SeeBancroft (crater).
- Archimedes F -SeeMacMillan (crater).
- Archimedes K -SeeSpurr (crater).
Gallery[edit]
-
Lunar Orbiter 4image -
Detail map of Mare Imbrium's features. Archimedes is the feature marked "G". -
LROimage of the contact of the crater wall (lower left) and the floor (upper right)
References[edit]
- ^ab"Archimedes (crater)".Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ^The geologic history of the Moon.USGSProfessional Paper 1348. ByDon E. Wilhelms,John F. McCauley, and Newell J. Trask. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington: 1987. Table 11.2.
- ^Ewen A. Whitaker,Mapping and Naming the Moon(Cambridge University Press, 1999), p.213.
- ^Ewen A. Whitaker,Mapping and Naming the Moon(Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 198.
- ^Ewen A. Whitaker,Mapping and Naming the Moon(Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 202.
- ^Wilhelms, Don (1987)."1. General Features"(PDF).Geologic History of the Moon.United States Geological Survey.p. 12. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 7, 2006.Retrieved2017-02-22.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help)
- Andersson, L. E.;Whitaker, E. A.(1982).NASACatalogue of Lunar Nomenclature.NASA RP-1097.
- Bussey, B.;Spudis, P.(2004).The Clementine Atlas of the Moon.New York:Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-81528-4.
- Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995).Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature.Tudor Publishers.ISBN978-0-936389-27-1.
- McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007)."Lunar Nomenclature".Jonathan's Space Report.Retrieved2007-10-24.
- Menzel, D. H.; Minnaert, M.; Levin, B.; Dollfus, A.; Bell, B. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU".Space Science Reviews.12(2): 136–186.Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M.doi:10.1007/BF00171763.S2CID122125855.
- Moore, Patrick(2001).On the Moon.Sterling Publishing Co.ISBN978-0-304-35469-6.
- Price, Fred W. (1988).The Moon Observer's Handbook.Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-33500-3.
- Rükl, Antonín(1990).Atlas of the Moon.Kalmbach Books.ISBN978-0-913135-17-4.
- Webb, Rev. T. W.(1962).Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes(6th revised ed.). Dover.ISBN978-0-486-20917-3.
- Whitaker, Ewen A.(1999).Mapping and Naming the Moon.Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-62248-6.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000).Observing the Moon.Springer.ISBN978-1-85233-193-1.
External links[edit]
- "Featured Image: Archimedes - Mare Flooded Crater!".Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.NASA. March 2, 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 16 March 2011.Retrieved2011-03-18.
- High resolution lunar overflight videoby Seán Doran, based on LRO data, that passes over Archimedes about one third of the way through (seealbumfor more)
