Diophantus (crater)
 Apollo 15 image | |
| Coordinates | 27°36′N 34°18′W / 27.6°N 34.3°W |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 19 km |
| Depth | 3.0 km |
| Colongitude | 34° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Diophantus |
Diophantus is a lunar impact crater that lies in the southwestern part of the Mare Imbrium, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Diophantus.[1] It forms a pair with the larger crater Delisle to the north, has a wide inner wall and a low central rise. To the north of Diophantus is the sinuous rille designated Rima Diophantus, named after the crater. Diophantus C lies near the exterior of the southwest wall.
Diophantus is a crater of Eratosthenian age.[2]
Rima Diophantus
[edit]This cleft follows a generally east–west path across the Mare Imbrium. It is centered at selenographic coordinates 31.0° N, 32.0° W, and has a maximum diameter of 150 km.
Small craters
[edit]Several tiny craters north of Diophantus have been assigned names by the IAU. These are listed in the table below.
| Crater | Coordinates | Diameter | Name source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel | 28°12′N 34°06′W / 28.2°N 34.1°W | 1 km | Spanish feminine name |
| Louise | 28°30′N 34°12′W / 28.5°N 34.2°W | 0.8 km | French feminine name |
| Samir | 28°30′N 34°18′W / 28.5°N 34.3°W | 2 km | Arabic masculine name |
| Walter1 | 28°00′N 33°48′W / 28.0°N 33.8°W | 1 km | German masculine name |
| 1 | Not to be confused with the large crater Walther in the southern hemisphere which is misidentified as 'Walter' in some publications |
The crater Samir has bright rays that extend for over 70 km.
Satellite craters
[edit]By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Diophantus.
| Diophantus | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 29.1° N | 32.5° W | 6 km |
| C | 27.3° N | 34.7° W | 5 km |
| D | 26.9° N | 36.3° W | 4 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.
- Diophantus A — See Artsimovich.
References
[edit]- ^ "Diophantus (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ^ The geologic history of the Moon. USGS Professional Paper 1348. By Don E. Wilhelms, John F. McCauley, and Newell J. Trask. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington: 1987. Table 12.2.
- 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. S2CID 122125855.
- 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 revised ed.). Dover. ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.
- Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
External links
[edit]
- LTO-39B3 Diophantus — L&PI topographic map of crater and vicinity.
- "Featured Image: Dark Streaks in Diophantus Crater". Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. NASA. February 23, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-18.
