Archytas (crater)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Crater characteristics | |
| Coordinates | 58.7° N, 5.0° E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 32 km |
| Depth | 2.4 km |
| Colongitude | 355° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Archytas |
Archytas is a lunar impact crater that protrudes into the northern edge of Mare Frigoris. To the northwest is the comparably-sized Timaeus crater, and the smaller Protagoras crater lies in the opposite direction to the southeast. Further to the southwest, beyond the opposite edge of the mare, is the prominent Plato crater.
The rim of Archytas is sharp-edged and shows little appearance of erosion due to subsequent impacts. The outer wall is nearly circular, with a slight outward bulge in the southeast. The interior is rough, with a ring of material deposited at the base of the inner wall. Just to the east of the crater mid-point is a pair of central peaks.
The surface surrounding the crater is relatively smooth to the south due to the lava flows that formed the mare. The surface is more rugged to the north and northeast. The satellite crater 'Archytas B', located to the northwest of Archytas, forms a lava-flooded bay along the edge of the Mare Frigoris.
[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 Archytas crater.
| Archytas | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 61.3° N | 3.2° E | 36 km |
| D | 63.5° N | 11.8° E | 43 km |
| G | 55.6° N | 0.5° E | 7 km |
| K | 62.6° N | 7.7° E | 15 km |
| L | 56.2° N | 0.9° E | 5 km |
| U | 62.8° N | 9.2° E | 8 km |
| W | 61.2° N | 5.2° E | 6 km |
[edit] References
- Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A., (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
- Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
- Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-81528-2.
- Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 0-936389-27-3.
- McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). Lunar Nomenclature. Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved on 2007-10-24.
- 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: 136.
- Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co.. ISBN 0-304-35469-4.
- Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521335000.
- Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-913135-17-8.
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- Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62248-4.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 1852331933.
