Fermat (crater)
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| Crater characteristics | |
 Location of Fermat crater. |
|
| Coordinates | 22.6° S, 19.8° E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 39 km |
| Depth | 2.0 km |
| Colongitude | 20° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Pierre de Fermat |
Fermat is a lunar impact crater located to the west of the Rupes Altai escarpment. To the west-southwest is the larger Sacrobosco crater, and to the southwest is the irregular Pons crater. It is 39 kilometers in diameter and two kilometers deep.[1]
The rim of Fermat crater is worn and somewhat irregular, but still possesses an outer rampart. The north rim is indented by a double crater formation that includes 'Fermat A'. The floor is relatively flat and does not have a central rise.[2] The crater is from the Pre-Imbrian period, 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago.[1]
It is named for 17th century French mathematician Pierre de Fermat.[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 Fermat crater.[3]
| Fermat | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 21.8° S | 19.6° E | 17 km |
| B | 23.0° S | 21.1° E | 11 km |
| C | 21.0° S | 18.5° E | 14 km |
| D | 20.1° S | 18.0° E | 13 km |
| E | 19.9° S | 19.9° E | 7 km |
| F | 22.1° S | 20.2° E | 5 km |
| G | 19.4° S | 20.0° E | 7 km |
| H | 23.1° S | 20.7° E | 5 km |
| P | 23.6° S | 19.3° E | 37 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.
