Espin Crater Honors British Astronomer Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin

Summary: Espin Crater honors British astronomer Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin, whose astronomical accomplishment include discovering Nova Lacertae 1910.

Details of Lunar Astronautical Charts (LAC) 46 and 47 show Espin Crater with its sole satellite, Espin E, which lies between its parent and Seyfert Crater, on the lunar far side; courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) / GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) / ASU (Arizona State University): Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Espin Crater honors British astronomer Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin, whose accomplishments in observational astronomy include the discovery of a nova in Lacerta the Lizard constellation in 1910.

Espin Crater is a lunar impact crater that lies on the lunar far side, just beyond the near side’s northeastern limb. The crater’s northern rim exhibits heavy damage.

The worn crater is centered at 28.15 degrees north latitude, 109.34 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The northern hemisphere crater sets its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 29.3 degrees north and 26.99 degrees north, respectively. The northwestern quadrant crater marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 110.65 degrees east and 108.03 degrees east, respectively. Espin Crater’s diameter measures 70.01 kilometers.

Espin Crater parents one satellite on the lunar far side. Espin E lies to the east of its parent.

Espin E is centered at 28.43 degrees north latitude, 111.58 degrees east longitude. The satellite obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 28.96 degrees north and 27.9 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 112.18 degrees east and 110.98 degrees east, respectively. Espin E has a diameter of 32.16 kilometers.

Espin E’s location places the satellite between its parent, to the west, and Seyfert Crater, to the east. Seyfert Crater lies to the east-northeast of Espin E’s parent.

Seyfert Crater is centered at 29.26 degrees north latitude, 114.34 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes stretch to 30.96 degrees north and 27.57 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes reach 116.27 degrees east and 112.4 degrees east, respectively. Seyfert Crater’s diameter spans 102.63 kilometers.

Espin Crater honors British astronomer Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin (May 28, 1858-Dec. 2, 1934). The International Astronomical Union (IAU) approved Espin as the crater’s official name in 1970, during the organization’s XIVth (14th) General Assembly, held in Brighton, United Kingdom, from Wednesday, Aug. 18, to Friday, Aug. 27. The letter designation for the Espin Crater system’s sole satellite, Espin E, was approved in 2006.

Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin’s interest in observational astronomy dated to his attendance from 1872 to 1876 at Haileybury College in Hertfordshire, South England, according to his obituary in the Feb. 8, 1935, issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The Reverend Frederic John Hall, a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (FRAS), lectured in astronomy and conducted sessions in telescopic observation. While at Haileybury, Espin also was inspired by observing Coggia’s Comet (C/1874 H1), which was discovered April 17, 1874, by 19th-century Corsican astronomer Jérôme Eugène Coggia (Feb. 18, 1849-Jan. 15, 1919).

Espin was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (FRAS) on Jan. 11, 1878, during the presidency of English spectroscopist Sir William Huggins (Feb. 7, 1824-May 12, 1910). The successful election of Espin and eight other candidates was announced in the Jan. 11, 1878, issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. His election at the young age of 19 made him “. . . accordingly one of our oldest Fellows” (page 319), stated the Royal Astronomical Society’s obituary.

Espin’s accomplishments in observational astronomy included the discovery of DI Lacertae (Nova Lacertae 1910; Nova Lac 1910), a nova in Lacerta the Lizard constellation on Dec. 30, 1910. He announced his discovery in the Jan. 13, 1911, issue of the Monthly Notices. Espin noted the red star’s first appearance, with 8.0 as estimated magnitude at twilight. He considered, however, the star’s magnitude as probably “. . . a little under 7.0 . . .” because of the “fainter” appearance of red stars “on a bright background” (page 189). Espin reported the star’s curious situation “. . . on the base line of a triangle of 12-mag. stars . . .” (page 190).

The takeaways for Espin Crater, which honors British astronomer Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin, are that the far side lunar impact crater lies just beyond the near side’s northeastern limb; that the primary crater hosts one satellite, Espin E; and that the crater’s namesake is credited with the discovery of DI Lacertae, a nova in Lacerta the Lizard constellation on Dec. 30, 1910.

Detail of Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Espin Crater (upper right), with unmarked satellite E (right; east) and eastern neighbor Seyfert (upper right corner) in the lunar far side’s northwestern 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:

Details of Lunar Astronautical Charts (LAC) 46 and 47 show Espin Crater with its sole satellite, Espin E, which lies between its parent and Seyfert Crater, on the lunar far side; courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) / GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) / ASU (Arizona State University): Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_46_wac.pdf and https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_47_wac.pdf

Detail of Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Espin Crater (upper right), with unmarked satellite E (right; east) and eastern neighbor Seyfert (upper right corner) in the lunar far side’s northwestern 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

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