Vasco da Gama (crater)

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Crater characteristics
Coordinates	13.9° N, 83.9° W
Diameter	83 km
Depth	2.1 km
Colongitude	85° at sunrise
Eponym	Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama is a lunar impact crater that is located near the western limb of the Moon. It is named for the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. It lies to the south of the Einstein walled plain, due south of Dalton crater. Attached to the southwestern rim of Vasco da Gama is the somewhat smaller Bohr crater.

The northern and southern parts of the crater rim of Vasco da Gama have been heavily eroded by impacts, with the western and eastern rims being more intact. The smaller crater 'Vasco da Gama S' intrudes into the southeastern rim, and just to its southwest is 'Vasco da Gama T'. Near the northeastern rim is 'Vasco da Gama B'.

The interior floor of this crater contains a system of rilles designated the Rimae Vasco da Gama. These primarily lie in the western two-thirds of the floor, and run roughly north-south, sometimes bending near their ends. There is a low central ridge near the mid-point of the interior.

[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 Vasco da Gama crater. This explorer went on 2 major vayages before dying.

Vasco da Gama	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	12.7° N	80.0° W	23 km
B	15.7° N	83.0° W	27 km
C	11.4° N	84.9° W	44 km
F	14.0° N	80.6° W	53 km
P	12.0° N	80.4° W	91 km
R	10.0° N	83.4° W	59 km
S	12.6° N	82.8° W	28 km
T	11.8° N	83.3° W	20 km

[edit] References

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• Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
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