Baily Crater Parents Three Satellites in the Northeastern Near Side

Summary: Baily Crater parents three satellites in the northeastern near side, with two to the north in eastern Mare Frigoris and one in southern Mare Frigoris.

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Chart (LAC) 13 shows Baily Crater and its three satellites in the lunar near side’s Mare Frigoris; 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

Baily Crater parents three satellites in the northeastern near side, with two northern satellites residing in eastern Mare Frigoris and one southern satellite in the southern extension of Mare Frigoris.

Baily Crater, the Baily Crater system’s primary crater, is centered at 49.78 degrees north, 30.56 degrees east, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The northern hemisphere crater establishes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 50.2 degrees north and 49.36 degrees north, respectively. The eastern hemisphere crater sets easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 31.21 degrees east and 29.9 degrees east, respectively. Baily Crater’s diameter measures 25.68 kilometers.

Baily Crater parents three satellites from its location on rugged terrain separating Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold) and Lacus Mortis (Lake of Death). Two satellites, Baily B and Baily K, are located in eastern Mare Frigoris to the north of their parent. One satellite, Baily A, resides in the southern extension of Mare Frigoris, to the south of its parent.

Mare Frigoris is a lunar mare (Latin: mare, “sea”) that spreads across the near side’s portion of the lunar northern hemisphere’s middle to polar latitudes. A slender stretch of rugged terrain separates the dark, basaltic plain from Lacus Mortis. In its southward dip, an extension of Mare Frigoris brushes against the Lake of Death’s eastern edge.

Mare Frigoris is centered at 57.59 degrees north latitude, minus 0.01 degrees west longitude. The northern hemisphere mare reaches its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 64.38 degrees north and 49.08 degrees north, respectively. The elongated lunar mare’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to 38.03 degrees east and minus 43.14 degrees west, respectively. The Sea of Cold’s diameter spans 1,446.41 kilometers.

Baily B and Baily K occupy eastern Mare Frigoris as the Baily Crater system’s northern satellites. Baily B lies to the east-southeast of Baily K. Baily B’s placement qualifies it as the Baily Crater system’s easternmost satellite. Baily K’s placement qualifies it was the most northerly and the most westerly of the Baily Crater system’s three satellites.

Baily B is centered at 51 degrees north latitude, 35.18 degrees east longitude. Baily B confines its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to 51.12 degrees north and 50.89 degrees north, respectively. It restricts its easternmost and westernmost longitudes to 35.36 degrees east and 35 degrees east, respectively. Baily B has a diameter of 6.96 kilometers.

Baily K is centered at 51.51 degrees north latitude, 30.53 degrees east longitude. It narrows its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to 51.56 degrees north and 51.45 degrees north, respectively. It limits its easternmost and westernmost longitudes to 30.62 degrees east and 30.44 degrees east, respectively. Baily K’s diameter of 3.42 kilometers qualifies it as the smallest of the Baily Crater system’s three satellites.

Baily A occurs as the Baily Crater system’s sole southern satellite. Baily A’s placement in the southern extension of Mare Frigoris, to the south-southeast of its parent, qualifies it as the most southerly of the Baily Crater system’s three satellites. Baily A also claims the closest proximity to its parent.

Baily A is centered at 48.71 degrees north latitude, 31.39 degrees east longitude. It obtains its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 48.97 degrees north and 48.44 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 31.79 degrees east and 30.98 degrees east, respectively. Baily A’s diameter of 16.25 kilometers qualifies it as the largest of the Baily Crater system’s three satellites.

Baily A’s residence in the western portion of the Sea of Cold’s southern extension places it to the northeast of Lacus Mortis (Lake of Death). The small basaltic plain pits the near side’s northeastern quadrant as a semi-circular feature. Via a press release dated March 3, 2014, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Astrobotic Technology identified Lacus Mortis as its target site for collapsed lava tube exploration in the space robotics company’s entry for the Google Lunar X Prize competition.

Lacus Mortis is centered at 45.13 degrees north latitude, 27.32 degrees east longitude. The basaltic lava plain records northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 47.75 degrees north and 42.5 degrees north, respectively. It registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 31.03 degrees east and 23.61 degrees east, respectively. Lacus Mortis has a diameter of 158.78 kilometers.

The takeaways for Baily Crater’s parentage of three satellites in the northeastern near side are that the Baily Crater system’s two northern satellites reside in eastern Mare Frigoris; and that Baily Crater’s solitary southern satellite lies in the southern extension of Mare Frigoris.

Detail of Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Baily Crater as Mare Frigoris, with easternmost satellite Baily B (upper right) and southernmost satellite Baily A (to parent’s lower right): 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) 13 shows Baily Crater and its three satellites in the lunar near side’s Mare Frigoris; 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_13_wac.pdf

Detail of Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Baily Crater as Mare Frigoris, with easternmost satellite Baily B (upper right) and southernmost satellite Baily A (to parent’s lower right): U.S. Geological Survey, Public Domain, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/moon_nearside.pdf

For further information:

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/7512

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/7513

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3212

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