Earth and Space News: Lamb Crater Parents Three Satellites in Southern Mare Australe

Summary: Lamb Crater parents three satellites in southern Mare Australe (Southern Sea) as a crater system on the lunar far side.

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Charts (LAC) 116 shows Lamb Crater with Lamb A and Lamb G, two of its three satellites, in Mare Australe on the lunar far side; 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

Lamb Crater parents three satellites in southern Mare Australe (Southern Sea) as a crater system occupying the lunar far side, just beyond the near side’s southeastern limb.

The Lamb Crater system’s primary crater is centered at minus 42.67 degrees south latitude, 100.94 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Lamb Crater’s northernmost and southernmost latitudes reach minus 41.07 degrees south and minus 44.32 degrees south, respectively. The southern hemisphere crater’s easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to 103.27 degrees east and 98.62 degrees east, respectively. Lamb Crater’s diameter spans 103.55 kilometers.

Lamb Crater parents three satellites in the lunar eastern hemisphere’s Mare Australe. The Southern Sea stretches across the near side’s southeastern limb to occupy the far side’s portion of the lunar eastern hemisphere. The Lamb Crater system’s three satellites are located to the east of their parent.

Lamb A lies to the north of its parent. Satellite A’s placement qualifies it as the most northerly of the Lamb Crater system’s three satellites.

Lamb A is centered at minus 39.87 degrees south latitude, 101.55 degrees east longitude. It confines its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to minus 39.6 degrees south and minus 40.14 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes linger at 101.9 degrees east and 101.19 degrees east, respectively. Lamb A’s diameter measures 16.45 kilometers.

Lamb E resides to the east-northeast of its parent. Satellite E lies to the southeast of Lamb A and to the northeast of Lamb G. Lamb E’s placement qualifies it as the most easterly of the Lamb Crater system’s three satellites.

Lamb E is centered at minus 41.55 degrees south latitude, 107.05 degrees east longitude. It obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 41.36 degrees south and minus 41.74 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 107.3 degrees east and 106.8 degrees east, respectively. Lamb E has a diameter of 11.31 kilometers.

Lamb E’s diameter qualifies it as the smallest of the Lamb Crater system’s three satellites. Satellite E’s diameter of 11.31 kilometers approximates 10.93 percent of its parent’s diameter of 103.55 kilometers.

Lamb G is sited to the east of its parent. Its location lies to the south-southwest of Lamb E. Satellite G’s placement qualifies it as the most southerly of the Lamb Crater system’s three satellites.

Lamb G is centered at minus 43.06 degrees south, 105.7 degrees east longitude. It posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 41.94 degrees south and minus 44.19 degrees south, respectively. It marks easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 107.24 degrees east and 104.17 degrees east, respectively. Lamb G’s diameter spans 68.03 kilometers.

Lamb G’s diameter qualifies it as the largest of the Lamb Crater system’s three satellites. Lamb G’s diameter of 68.03 kilometers approximates 65.7 percent of its parent’s diameter of 103.55 kilometers.

Lamb A claims Gernsback H and Gernsback J as its nearest named northern neighbors. Gernsback H and Gernsback J lie to the northeast and north-northeast, respectively, of Lamb A.

Gernsback H is centered at minus 38.41 degrees south latitude, 103.17 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are found at minus 37.61 degrees south and minus 39.21 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are obtained at 104.2 degrees east and 102.14 degrees east, respectively. Gernsback H’s diameter measures 48.69 kilometers.

Gernsback J is centered at minus 37.81 degrees south latitude, 101.79 degrees east longitude. It finds northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 37.5 degrees south and minus 38.12 degrees south, respectively. It obtains easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 102.18 degrees east and 101.39 degrees east, respectively. Gernsback J has a diameter of 18.74 kilometers.

The takeaways for Lamb Crater’s parentage of three satellites in southern Mare Australe are that the Lamb Crater system’s three satellites are associated with their parent’s eastern half; that one satellite, Lamb A, lies to the east-northeast of its parent; and that the Lamb Crater system’s other two satellites, Lamb E and Lamb G, reside as eastern satellites to the northeast and east, respectively, of their parent.

Detail of Lunar Astronautical Charts (LAC) 1172 shows Lamb Crater with Lamb E and Lamb G, two of the Lamb Crater system’s three 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:

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Earth and Space News

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Lamb Crater Parents Three Satellites in Southern Mare Australe

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