Plaskett (crater)
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| Crater characteristics | |
| Coordinates | 82.1° N, 174.3° E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 109 km |
| Depth | Unknown |
| Colongitude | 170° at sunrise |
| Eponym | John S. Plaskett |
Plaskett is a prominent lunar impact crater that is located on the northern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. It lies only a few hundred kilometers south of the lunar north pole, and the sunlight it receives is at a low angle. The large Rozhdestvenskiy walled-plain is attached to the northeast rim of Plaskett, between the crater and the pole. To the south is the overlapping Milankovic-Ricco crater pair.
The outer rim of Plaskett has a somewhat polygonal shape formed from outward bulges in the perimeter. The inner wall is terraced along the southern edge, while the remainder is rougher and less finely featured. The interior floor is relatively flat and there is a central peak formed of a double-mount at the mid-point. Satellite crater 'Plaskett U' is attached to the southeast rim.
Because of the isolation of this crater and its location near the lunar limb, it has been suggested as the ideal spot for a future lunar base. A base here would allow simulation of a mission to Mars.[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 Plaskett crater.
| Plaskett | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | 80.2° N | 165.1° W | 20 km |
| S | 81.6° N | 148.7° E | 17 km |
| U | 83.0° N | 160.2° E | 14 km |
| V | 82.5° N | 118.5° E | 49 km |
[edit] References
- ^ Foing, Bernard H.; Josset, Jean-Luc. "SMART-1 views the edge of Luna Incognita: Mars on the Moon?", ESA, March 1, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
- 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.
- Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes, 6th revision, Dover. ISBN 0-486-20917-2.
- 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.
