Abel (crater)
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| Crater characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34.5° S, 87.3° E |
| Diameter | 122 km |
| Depth | Unknown |
| Colongitude | 276° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Niels Henrik Abel |
Abel is an ancient lunar crater that lies near the southeast limb of the Moon's near side. It is located to the south of Barnard crater, at the northwest edge of the Mare Australe.
The rim of Abel crater is heavily eroded and distorted in shape, forming a somewhat polygonal figure. It is incised and overlaid by past impacts. The satellite crater 'Abel A' overlays the southern rim, while 'Abel M' and 'Abel L' intrude into the western wall.
The eastern floor of Abel has been resurfaced by past lava flows, leaving a relatively smooth, flat surface with a low albedo. The remains of a small crater rim protrude near the northeast wall. The western floor is rougher in texture and matches the albedo of the surrounding surface.
[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 Abel crater.
| Abel | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 36.6° S | 86.0° E | 19 km |
| B | 36.7° S | 82.8° E | 41 km |
| C | 36.0° S | 81.0° E | 31 km |
| D | 37.7° S | 87.7° E | 30 km |
| E | 37.8° S | 86.5° E | 13 km |
| J | 35.5° S | 79.0° E | 11 km |
| K | 35.0° S | 77.2° E | 9 km |
| L | 34.4° S | 82.6° E | 67 km |
| M | 32.2° S | 83.6° E | 81 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.
