Einstein (crater)

Einstein (crater)

Lunar Orbiter 4 image. Einstein is the larger, eroded crater. The smaller central crater is Einstein A.
Coordinates 16°36′N 88°39′W / 16.60°N 88.65°WCoordinates: 16°36′N 88°39′W / 16.60°N 88.65°W
Diameter 181 km
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 91° at sunrise
Eponym Albert Einstein
Topographic map. Red means highlands and blue means lowlands.

Einstein is a large lunar crater that lies along the western limb of the Moon, making it difficult to observe from the Earth. The visibility of this formation is affected by libration effects, but even under the best conditions not much detail can be observed except from lunar orbit. Nearby craters of note include Moseley just to the north, Dalton along the eastern rim, Vasco da Gama just to the southeast, and Bohr to the south-southeast. The formation Vallis Bohr is visible to the south.

The outer rim of this walled plain has been strongly obliterated by many small impacts. Occupying the center of the interior floor is Einstein A, an impact crater with terraced inner walls and a central peak. The outer rampart of this concentric crater spreads across the interior floor, covering over half the diameter of Einstein. Several smaller craters also lie scattered across the floor, but there are sections of relatively flat surface in the southwest part of the floor. Two small craters on the west side have fissured floors. These are believed to be secondary craters from the Orientale impact to the south.[1]

Widespread version that this crater was discovered by Patrick Moore in 1939[2][3][4] is probably erroneous.[5] In the middle of the 20th century Hugh Percy Wilkins designated this crater Caramuel to honor Juan Caramuel y Lobkowitz.[6][7] The crater was known under this unofficial name for some time,[4][8] but this name (and almost all other Wilkins' designations) wasn't adopted by the International Astronomical Union.[9] In 1963 E. Whitaker and D.W.G. Arthur designated this crater Einstein after Albert Einstein,[8] and in 1964 this name was adopted by the IAU.[10] Wilkins' map also contains a crater called Einstein, but it is a less noticeable one[8] – Simpelius D.[2]

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Einstein.

Einstein[10] Coordinates Diameter, km
A 16°41′N 88°15′W / 16.69°N 88.25°W 50
R 13°50′N 91°53′W / 13.83°N 91.88°W 20
S 15°06′N 91°40′W / 15.10°N 91.67°W 20

References

  1. ↑ The geologic history of the Moon, 1987, Wilhelms, Don E.; with sections by McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. USGS Professional Paper: 1348. Figure 3.9 A (online)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Moore P., Cattermole P. J. (1967). The Craters of the Moon. New York: W.W.Norton and Company Inc. pp. 124 (image on p.63).
  3. ↑ Allen D. A. (June 1966). "The Lunar Crater Caramuel". Journal of the British Astronomical Association 76: 248–255. Bibcode:1966JBAA...76..248A.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Allen D. A., Andrews C. J. (May 1969). "The last word on Einstein Crater (Caramuel)". Journal of the British Astronomical Association 79: 288–290. Bibcode:1969JBAA...79..288A.
  5. ↑ Mobberley M. (2013). It Came From Outer Space Wearing an RAF Blazer!: A Fan's Biography of Sir Patrick Moore. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 15, 22–23, 102, 171, 581. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-00609-3. ISBN 978-3-319-00609-3.
  6. ↑ "Wilkins 300-inch Map Names (from Wilkins and Moore, 1961)". the-moon.wikispaces.com. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  7. ↑ "Unofficial Names of Hugh Percy Wilkins (from Wilkins and Moore, 1961)". the-moon.wikispaces.com. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Longshaw N. (June 2014). P. Grego, ed. "Einstein surprise". The British Astronomical Association Lunar Section Circular 51 (6): 10–12.
  9. ↑ Whitaker E. A. (2003). Mapping and Naming the Moon: A History of Lunar Cartography and Nomenclature. Cambridge University Press. pp. 230, 235. ISBN 9780521544146.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Einstein". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN). 2010-10-18. Retrieved 2014-12-13.

Sources

  • Longshaw N. (June 2014). P. Grego, ed. "Einstein surprise". The British Astronomical Association Lunar Section Circular 51 (6): 10–12.
  • Allen D. A., Andrews C. J. (May 1969). "The last word on Einstein Crater (Caramuel)". Journal of the British Astronomical Association 79: 288–290. Bibcode:1969JBAA...79..288A.
  • Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
  • Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  • Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 978-0-936389-27-1.
  • McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 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 (2): 136–186. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763.
  • Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  • Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.
  • Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
  • Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revision ed.). Dover. ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.
  • Whitaker, Ewen A. (2003). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-54414-6.
  • Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.