Pythagoras (crater)
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| Crater characteristics | |
| Coordinates | 63.5° N, 62.8° W |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 130 km |
| Depth | 5.0 km |
| Colongitude | 60° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Pythagoras |
Pythagoras is a prominent lunar impact crater located near the northwestern lunar limb. It lies just to the northwest of the somewhat larger Babbage crater. The crater has an oval appearance due to the oblique viewing angle. Only the western face of the interior can be viewed from the Earth, the other side being permanently out of sight.
The well-preserved rim of Pythagoras crater has a wide terrace system, and a slight rampart around the exterior. Although generally circular, observers note that the crater outline has a hexagonal form. The floor is flattened, but with an irregular, hilly surface. There is evidence of landslips around the periphery. In the center is a sharp, mountainous rise with a double-peak that ascends 1.5 kilometers above the crater floor.
[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 Pythagoras crater.
| Pythagoras | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 66.1° N | 73.0° W | 17 km |
| D | 64.5° N | 72.0° W | 30 km |
| G | 67.8° N | 75.3° W | 16 km |
| H | 67.1° N | 73.3° W | 18 km |
| K | 67.3° N | 75.4° W | 12 km |
| L | 67.3° N | 77.6° W | 12 km |
| M | 67.5° N | 81.1° W | 10 km |
| N | 66.6° N | 78.1° W | 14 km |
| P | 65.3° N | 75.2° W | 10 km |
| S | 67.7° N | 64.7° W | 8 km |
| T | 62.5° N | 51.4° W | 6 km |
| W | 63.1° N | 48.9° W | 4 km |
[edit] References
- Wood, Chuck (October 9, 2007). Copernicus on the Limb. Lunar Photo of the Day. Retrieved on 2007-10-09.
- 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.
