Gill Crater Parents Eight Satellites in Near Side’s South Polar Region

Summary: Gill Crater parents eight satellites as a high-latitude crater system occupying the near side’s south polar region.

Details of Lunar Astronautical Charts (LAC) 128 (left) and 129 (right) show Gill Crater system of primary crater Gill (LAC 129 lower center) and seven of the Gill Crater system’s eight satellites; LAC 128 Gill B, C, F, G; LAC 129 Gill A, B, C, D, H; 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

Gill Crater parents eight satellites in the near side’s south polar region as a high-latitude crater system lying to the southwest of Mare Australe (Southern Sea), near the near side’s southeastern limb.

Gill Crater is centered at minus 63.77 degrees south latitude, 75.95 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The southern hemisphere crater’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes extend to minus 62.71 degrees south and minus 64.82 degrees south, respectively. The eastern hemisphere crater’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes reach 78.33 degrees east and 73.56 degrees east, respectively. Gill Crater’s diameter spans 63.9 kilometers.

Gill Crater parents eight satellites. Seven of the Gill Crater system’s eight satellites occur on their parent’s western side.

One satellite, Gill D, associates with its parent’s eastern side. Gill D’s placement qualifies it as the Gill Crater system’s most easterly satellite.

Gill D is centered at minus 63.49 degrees south, 79.97 degrees east longitude. Satellite D trims its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to minus 63.23 degrees south and minus 63.75 degrees south, respectively. It reduces its easternmost and westernmost longitudes to 80.56 degrees east and 79.37 degrees east, respectively. Gill D has a diameter of 16.02 kilometers.

Gill A occurs as a slight intrusion on its parent’s northwestern rim. Gill A is centered at minus 63.43 degrees south latitude, 73.25 degrees east longitude. Satellite A limits its northernmost and southernmost longitudes to minus 63.2 degrees south and minus 63.65 degrees south, respectively. It narrows its easternmost and westernmost longitudes to 73.73 degrees east and 72.77 degrees east, respectively. Gill A has a diameter of 13.55 kilometers.

Gill B lies to the northwest of Gill A. Gill B’s placement qualifies it as the Gill Crater system’s most northerly satellite.

Gill B is centered at minus 61.82 degrees south latitude, 70.46 degrees east longitude. Satellite B confines its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to minus 61.32 degrees south and minus 62.32 degrees south, respectively. It minimizes its easternmost and westernmost longitudes to 71.51 degrees east and 69.4 degrees east, respectively. Gill B’s diameter measures 30.12 kilometers.

Gill C neighbors to the southwest of Gill B. Gill C is centered at minus 62.42 degrees south latitude, 67.83 degrees east longitude. Satellite C finds northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 61.89 degrees south and minus 62.96 degrees south, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 69 degrees east and 66.67 degrees east, respectively. Gill C’s diameter measures 32.6 kilometers.

Gill E lies to the west of Gill A. It lies to the south of Gill B and to the southeast of Gill C.

Gill E is centered at minus 63.33 degrees south latitude, 70.48 degrees east longitude. Satellite E obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 63.1 degrees south and minus 63.56 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 71 degrees east and 69.97 degrees east, respectively. Gill E has a diameter of 14 kilometers.

Gill F lies to the southwest of Gill C. Gill F’s placement qualifies it as the Gill Crater system’s most southerly and most westerly satellite.

Gill F is centered at minus 63.95 degrees south latitude, 65.65 degrees east longitude. Satellite F establishes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 63.54 degrees south and minus 64.35 degrees south, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 66.57 degrees east and 64.73 degrees east, respectively. Gill F’s diameter measure 24.55 kilometers.

Gill G resides to the east-northeast of Gill F. Gill G neighbors near Gill C’s southern rim.

Gill G is centered at minus 63.62 degrees south latitude, 68.79 degrees east longitude. Satellite G restricts its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to minus 63.04 degrees south and minus 64.2 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are limited to 70.1 degrees east and 67.48 degrees east, respectively.

Gill G’s diameter spans 35.3 kilometers. Gill G’s size qualifies it as the Gill Crater system’s largest satellite.

Gill H is positioned to the east of Gill G. It lies to the southwest of Gill A and to the south-southeast of Gill E.

Gill H is centered at minus 64.08 degrees south latitude, 70.98 degrees east longitude. Satellite H records northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 63.94 degrees south and minus 64.22 degrees south, respectively. It registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 71.3 degrees east and 70.65 degrees east, respectively.

Gill H has a diameter of 8.59 kilometers. Its small diameter qualifies it as the Gill Crater system’s smallest satellite.

The takeaways for Gill Crater’s parentage of eight satellites in the near side’s south polar region are that seven of the Gill Crater system’s eight satellites associate with their parent’s western side; that Gill D occurs as the only Gill Crater system satellite located to the east of its parent; and that Gill G and Gill H rank as the Gill Crater system’s largest and smallest satellites, respectively.

Details of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 139 shows Gill Crater system’s primary crater Gill (upper right) and (upper center) three (F, G, H) of the Gill Crater system’s eight satellites; 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

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) 128 (left) and 129 (right) show Gill Crater system of primary crater Gill (LAC 129 lower center) and seven of the Gill Crater system’s eight satellites; LAC 128 Gill: B, C, F, G; LAC 129: Gill A, B, C, D, H; 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_128_wac.pdf and https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_129_wac.pdf

Details of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 139 shows Gill Crater system’s primary crater Gill (upper right) and (upper center) three (F, G, H) of the Gill Crater system’s eight satellites; 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_139_wac.pdf

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2163

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9484

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International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gill C.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9486

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9487

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gill E.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9488

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gill F.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9489

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9490

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9491

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