Saussure (crater)

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Crater characteristics
Coordinates 43.3° S, 3.8° W
Diameter 54 km
Depth 1.8 km
Colongitude   187° at sunrise
Eponym Horace B. de Saussure

Saussure is a lunar crater. It is located in the crater-riddled terrain in the southern hemisphere of the Moon's near side. Just to the north and nearly attached to the rim is the larger Orontius crater. About a half crater diameter due is the slightly larger Pictet crater. Just to the west is a curving ridge in the surface, possibly the remains of a crater that has been almost completely overlaid by Saussure.

The outer rim of this crater is worn but relatively intact, with only the southern edge being somewhat disrupted. A small impact lies across the northeastern rim and a pair of craterlets along the western edge. The inner walls are relatively featureless, and slope down to the generally level interior floor. This bottom surface is marked only by a few tiny craters.

[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 Saussure crater.

Saussure Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 43.8° S 0.5° W 19 km
B 42.2° S 3.9° W 5 km
C 44.8° S 0.6° W 16 km
Ca 45.2° S 0.5° W 16 km
D 46.9° S 0.2° E 20 km
E 44.7° S 2.1° W 12 km
F 44.3° S 4.6° W 4 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.