W. Bond Crater Parents Six Satellites Near Northern Mare Frigoris

Summary: W. Bond Crater parents six satellites near northern Mare Frigoris, in the near side’s north polar region.

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 3 shows (lower right) four (B, C, E, F) of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites (lower right); courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) / GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) / ASU (Arizona State University): U.S. Geological Survey, Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

W. Bond Crater parents six satellites near northern Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold) as a crater system occupying the eastern and western hemispheres in the near side’s north polar region.

Irregularly shaped W. Bond Crater is centered at 65.41 degrees north latitude, 3.52 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The north polar region crater marks northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 68.15 degrees north and 62.66 degrees north, respectively. W. Bond Crater’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 9.72 degrees east and minus 2.54 degrees west, respectively, reflect its occupancy of both the eastern and western hemispheres. W. Bond Crater’s diameter spans 170.53 kilometers.

W. Bond Crater parents six satellites in the lunar near side’s northeastern quadrant. All six satellites are found in the eastern hemisphere.

W. Bond B and C are located on their parent’s east-southeastern interior floor. They lie to the southeast of a narrow rille (German for “groove”) that angles across W. Bond Crater’s interior floor toward the eastern rim.

W. Bond B sits to the southwest of satellite C. Satellite B is centered at 65.03 degrees north latitude, 7.51 degrees east longitude. It finds northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 65.28 degrees north and 64.78 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are found at 8.11 degrees east and 6.92 degrees east, respectively. W. Bond B’s diameter measures 15.24 kilometers.

W. Bond C claims the most northerly position of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites. C is centered at 65.69 degrees north latitude, 8.25 degrees east longitude. It obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 65.81 degrees north and 65.57 degrees north, respectively. Satellite C’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 8.55 degrees east and 7.96 degrees east, respectively. W. Bond C has a diameter of 7.39 kilometers.

W. Bond D claims the most westerly position of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites. D is sited on its parent’s southern floor, to the distant southeast of W. Bond C. Satellite D is centered at 63.6 degrees north latitude, 3.21 degrees east longitude. It records northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 63.72 degrees north and 63.49 degrees north, respectively. Satellite D registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 3.47 degrees east and 2.96 degrees east, respectively. W. Bond D has a diameter of 6.85 kilometers.

W. Bond E is positioned to the northeast of satellite D and to the southeast of satellites B and C. Satellite E is centered at 63.8 degrees north latitude, 8.96 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes extend from 64.23 degrees north to 63.38 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes reach 9.88 degrees east and 8.03 degrees east, respectively. W. Bond E’s diameter of 24.95 kilometers qualifies it as the W. Bond Crater system’s largest satellite.

W. Bond F claims the most easterly position of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites. G neighbors on satellite E’s northern rim. F is centered at 64.45 degrees north latitude, 9.46 degrees east longitude. It posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 64.6 degrees north and 64.31 degrees north, respectively. Satellite F’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes touch 9.81 degrees east and 9.12 degrees east, respectively. W. Bond F has a diameter of 9.02 kilometers.

W. Bond G claims the most southerly position of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites. G lies to the southeast of satellite D and to the southwest of satellite E. G is centered at 63.07 degrees north latitude, 6.86 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are reached at 63.13 degrees north and 63 degrees north, respectively. G’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes are obtained at 7 degrees east and 6.71 degrees east, respectively. W. Bond G’s diameter of 3.98 kilometers qualifies it as the W. Bond Crater system’s smallest satellite.

The takeaways for W. Bond Crater’s parentage of six satellites near northern Mare Frigoris are that the W. Bond Crater system’s sextet are associated with their parent’s eastern hemisphere portion; that W. Bond E claims the largest diameter of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites; and that the most southerly satellite, W. Bond G, claims the smallest diameter of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites.

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 12 shows (upper right) three (D, E, G) of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites; courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) / GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) / ASU (Arizona State University): U.S. Geological Survey, Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 3 shows (lower right) four (B, C, E, F) of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites (lower right); courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) / GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) / ASU (Arizona State University): U.S. Geological Survey, Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_3_wac.pdf

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 12 shows (upper right) three (D, E, G) of the W. Bond Crater system’s six satellites; courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) / GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) / ASU (Arizona State University): U.S. Geological Survey, Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_12_wac.pdf

For further information:

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/MOON/target

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “W. Bond.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/6466

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “W. Bond B.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/13755

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “W. Bond C.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/13756

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “W. Bond D.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/13757

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “W. Bond E.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/13758

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “W. Bond F.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/13759

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “W. Bond G.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/13760

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Marriner, Derdriu. “W. Bond Crater Honors American Astronomer William Cranch Bond.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012.
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