Thales (crater)

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Crater characteristics
Coordinates	61.8° N, 50.3° E
Diameter	32 km
Depth	1.8 km
Colongitude	314° at sunrise
Eponym	Thales

Thales is a small crater located in the northeast part of the Moon, just to the west of the larger Strabo crater. To the southeast is the De La Rue walled-plain. Thales has a sharp, circular rim that has received little erosion. The lunar surface around Thales has a ray system that extends for over 600 kilometers. An area to the north-northwest of the crater is free of rays, however, indicating that the crater may have been formed by a low-angle impact from that direction. The inner wall has some terraces, particularly along the southern side. The sides have a higher albedo than the typical lunar terrain.

This crater has been noted for transient lunar phenomena. In 1892, E. E. Barnard observed a pale haze fill the crater interior, while the surroundings remained clear and sharply visible.

[edit] Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Thales crater.

Thales	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	58.5° N	40.8° E	12 km
E	57.2° N	43.2° E	29 km
F	59.4° N	42.1° E	37 km
G	61.6° N	45.3° E	12 km
H	60.3° N	48.0° E	10 km
W	58.5° N	39.8° E	6 km

[edit] References

• See the reference table for the general listing of literature and web sites that were used in the compilation of this page.