Donati (crater)
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| Crater characteristics | |
| Coordinates | 20.7° S, 5.2° E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 36 km |
| Depth | Unknown |
| Colongitude | 355° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Giovanni B. Donati |
Donati is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged south-central highlands of the Moon. It lies just to the northwest of the Faye crater, and the two outer rims are separated by a gap of less than 10 kilometers. To the north is the comparably-sized Airy crater, and further to the southeast is Playfair crater. It is 36 kilometers in diameter.[1]
The outer wall of the Donati crater has been eroded by subsequent impacts, particularly in the south and east, where craterlets overlay the rim. The distorted northern rim is joined with the irregularly-shaped satellite crater 'Airy C'. The inner floor of Donati is irregular and marked by small craters, particularly in the south and southwest. At the mid-point of the interior is a central rise.[2] The crater is from the Pre-Imbrian period, 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago.[1]
It is named after 19th century Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Donati.[1]
[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 Donati crater.[3]
| Donati | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 19.6° S | 4.5° E | 9 km |
| B | 20.4° S | 5.7° E | 11 km |
| C | 19.9° S | 3.4° E | 8 km |
| D | 22.1° S | 5.8° E | 5 km |
| K | 21.1° S | 6.8° E | 13 km |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Autostar Suite Astronomer Edition. CD-ROM. Meade, April 2006.
- ^ Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-913135-17-8.
- ^ Bussey, B.; Spudis, P., (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-81528-2.
