Plummer Crater Parents Five Satellites on Lunar Far Side

Summary: Plummer Crater parents five satellites on the lunar far side, in the southeastern quadrant’s equatorial and middle latitudes.

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 105 shows the Plummer Crater system, north of gigantic Apollo Crater, in the lunar far side’s southeastern quadrant; 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

Plummer Crater parents five satellites on the lunar far side, in the equatorial and middle latitudes of the southeastern quadrant.

The southern hemisphere’s Plummer Crater is centered at minus 24.62 degrees south latitude, minus 154.86 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Plummer Crater’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes stretch from minus 23.38 degrees south to minus 25.87 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at minus 153.48 degrees west and minus 156.23 degrees west. Plummer Crater’s diameter spans 75.7 kilometers.

Six satellites participate in the Plummer Crater system. The placements of satellites C and W qualify them as the Plummer Crater system’s northern satellites. Satellites M, N and R occur as the Plummer Crater system’s southern satellites.

Plummer C and Plummer W claim the most northeasterly and the most northwesterly placements, respectively, in the Plummer Crater system. The Plummer Crater system’s two northern satellites would form perfect, pareidolic (Ancient Greek: παρα, para, “alongside, concurrent” + εἴδωλον, eídōlon, “image”) Mickey Mouse ears for their parent if Plummer C adjoined parental Plummer.

Plummer C is centered at minus 23.3 degrees south latitude, minus 152.95 degrees western longitude. C’s northernmost extent, at minus 22.79 degrees south latitude, qualifies it for the most northerly reach in the Plummer Crater system. It marks its southernmost latitude at minus 23.8 degrees south. Satellite C finds its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 152.4 degrees west and minus 153.5 degrees west, respectively. Plummer C has a diameter of 30.57 kilometers.

Plummer W overlaps part of its parent’s northwestern outer rim. The satellite is centered at minus 23.48 degrees south latitude, minus 155.97 degrees west longitude. It posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 22.95 degrees south and minus 24 degrees south, respectively. Satellite W’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes are found at minus 155.4 degrees west and minus 156.54 degrees west, respectively. Plummer W has a diameter of 31.66 kilometers.

Two of the Plummer Crater system’s three southern satellites (M, N, R) are close neighbors. Plummer N is located near Plummer M’s southwestern rim.

Plummer M intrudes into its parent’s southern rim. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes extend from minus 25.7 degrees south to minus 26.97 degrees south, respectively. The satellite’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes reach minus 153.93 degrees west and minus 155.35 degrees west, respectively. Plummer M has a diameter of 38.63 kilometers.

Plummer N claims the most southerly position in the Plummer Crater system. N lies to the southwest of its parent and of Plummer M and to the southeast of Plummer R.

Plummer N is centered at minus 27.24 degrees south latitude, minus 155.99 degrees west longitude. N obtains its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 26.51 degrees south and minus 27.98 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes touch minus 155.16 degrees west and minus 156.81 degrees west, respectively.

Plummer N’s diameter of 44.57 kilometers qualifies it as the largest of the Plummer Crater system’s five satellites. N’s diameter approximates 58.8 percent of its parent’s 75.7-kilometer diameter.

Slightly isolated Plummer R claims the most westerly placement in the Plummer Crater system. R lies to the west-southwest of its parent, to the west-northwest of Plummer M and to the northwest of Plummer N.

Plummer R is centered at minus 25.72 degrees south latitude, minus 157.32 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are obtained at minus 25.4 degrees south and minus 26.03 degrees south, respectively. R’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes are found at minus 156.97 degrees west and minus 157.67 degrees west, respectively. Plummer R’s diameter of 19.24 kilometers qualifies it as the smallest of the Plummer Crater system’s five satellite.

The takeaways for Plummer Crater’s parentage of five satellites on the lunar far side are that the Plummer Crater system’s quintet comprises two northerly satellites and three southerly satellites; that Plummer N claims the largest diameter of the Plummer Crater system’s five satellites; that Plummer R, the system’s most westerly satellite, claims the smallest diameter of the system’s five satellites; and that Plummer C and Plummer W almost form pareidolic Mickey Mouse ears in their placements with respect to their parent.

Detail of Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Plummer Crater, north of Apollo Crater, in the lunar far side’s southeastern quadrant: 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) 105 shows the Plummer Crater system, north of gigantic Apollo Crater, in the lunar far side’s southeastern quadrant; 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/lac104_wac.pdf

Detail of Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Plummer Crater, north of Apollo Crater, in the lunar far side’s southeastern quadrant: U.S. Geological Survey, Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/moon_farside.pdf

For further information:

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/12153

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