Far Side Lunar Crater Moore Honors American Astronomer Joseph Moore

Summary: Far side lunar crater Moore honors American astronomer Joseph Moore, whose expertise included stellar radial velocities and spectroscopic binaries.

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 33 shows far side’s Moore Crater (center) with satellite F (east; right) and attached satellite L (south-southeast; below); scale 1:1,000,000 Polar Stereographic Projection: Courtesy NASA/GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center)/ASU (Arizona State University), via IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Far side lunar crater Moore honors American astronomer Joseph Moore, whose research interests included stellar radial velocities and orbit elements of spectroscopic binary stars.

Moore Crater lies in the highlands of the lunar far side’s northeastern quadrant, not quite halfway between the equator and the north pole. The worn impact crater is centered at 37.25 degrees north latitude, minus 177.55 degrees east longitude, according to International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes occur at 38.12 degrees north and 36.39 degrees north, respectively. The impact-riddled crater obtains easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 176.45 degrees east and minus 178.63 degrees east, respectively. Moore’s diameter spans 52.66 kilometers.

Moore Crater parents two satellites. Moore F lies to its parent’s east. Moore L adjoins its parent’s south-southeastern outer rim.

Satellite F is centered at 37.29 degrees north latitude, minus 174.97 degrees east longitude. The bright-rimmed satellite posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 37.69 degrees north and 36.9 degrees north, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 174.48 degrees east and minus 175.47 degrees east, respectively. With a diameter of 23.81 kilometer, satellite F is sized at about 45 percent of its parent’s 52.66-kilometer diameter.

Satellite L is centered at 36.06 degrees south latitude, minus 177.01 degrees east longitude. The parentally-attached satellite registers northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 36.47 degrees north and 35.66 degrees north, respectively. Satellite L obtains easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 176.51 degrees east and minus 177.51 degrees east, respectively. With a diameter of 24.55 kilometers, L is the larger of Moore’s two satellites.

The IAU approved primary crater Moore’s name in 1970, during the organization’s XIVth (14th) General Assembly, held in Brighton, United Kingdom, from Tuesday, Aug. 18, to Thursday, Aug. 27, 1970. Satellites F and L received approval of their designations in 2006, during the IAU’s XXVIth (26th) General Assembly, which was held Monday, Aug. 14, to Friday, Aug. 25, in Prague, Czech Republic.

The Moore Crater system honors American astronomer Joseph Haines Moore (Sept. 7, 1878-March 15, 1949). He was born in Wilmington, Ohio, as the only child of Quaker parents, John Haines Moore (Sept. 8, 1817-Sept. 30, 1908) and his second wife, Mary Ann Haines Moore (June 2, 1841-Nov. 28, 1928).

Johns Hopkins University awarded Moore his Ph.D. in physics, with minors in mathematics and astronomy, in 1903. His dissertation presented his original spectroscopic research on sodium vapor’s fluorescence and absorption.

One month later, on July 1, 1903, Moore began his association with the University of California’s Lick Observatory on Northern California’s Mount Hamilton as spectroscopic assistant to the observatory’s director. American astronomer William Wallace Campbell (April 11, 1862-June 14, 1938) directed Lick Observatory from 1901 to 1930. Spectroscopy, the study of matter’s absorption and emission of electromagnetic radiation, was his specialization.

Moore participated in five of Lick Observatory’s total solar eclipse expeditions. The first expedition took him to Goldendale, Klickitat County, southeastern Washington, for Tuesday, June 8, 1918, totality. Subsequent expeditions observed totality Thursday, Sept. 21, 1922, at Wallal, West Australia, northwestern Australia; Monday, Sept. 10, 1923, at Ensenada, Baja California, northwestern Mexico; Saturday, May 3, 1930, at Camptonville, Yuba County, northeastern California; and Wednesday, Aug. 31, 1932 at Fryeburg, Oxford County, southwestern Maine.

Moore’s publications included collaboration on Radial Velocities of Stars with William Wallace Campbell, published in 1928. He also released three catalogues on spectroscopic binary stars. Moore’s Third Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Stars was published in the Lick Observatory Bulletin in 1924. Fourth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Stars appeared in 1936. Fifth Catalogue of the Orbital Elements of Spectroscopic Binary Stars was released in 1948.

Moore was appointed Lick Observatory’s director in 1942. Health issues occasioned his retirement Nov. 30, 1945, from the directorship.

The takeaway for the lunar far side’s Moore Crater honoring American astronomer Joseph Moore is that the parent and two satellites in the Moore Crater system have as namesake Lick Observatory astronomer and director Joseph Haines Moore, whose expertise focused on stellar kinematics and spectroscopy.

Lick Observatory in 1902, the year before American Quaker astronomer Joseph Haines Moore began his association with University of California’s observatory in Northern California’s Diablo Range; Detroit Publishing Company number 53006: Detroit Photographic Company, No known restrictions on publication, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division-Photochrome Print Collection

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 Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 33 shows far side’s Moore Crater (center) with satellite F (east; right) and attached satellite L (south-southeast; below); scale 1:1,000,000 Polar Stereographic Projection: Courtesy NASA/GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center)/ASU (Arizona State University), via IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_33_wac.pdf

Lick Observatory in 1902, the year before American Quaker astronomer Joseph Haines Moore began his association with University of California’s observatory in Northern California’s Diablo Range; Detroit Publishing Company number 53006: Detroit Photographic Company, No known restrictions on publication, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division-Photochrome Print Collection @ https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2008678174/

For further information:

Aitken, Robert G. “Joseph Haines Moore: 1878-1949 A Tribute.” Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, vol. 61, no. 360 (June 1949): 125-128.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1949PASP...61..125A
Available via IOPScience @ https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/126145/pdf

Aitken, R. (Robert) G.; C.D. Shane; R.J. Trumpler; and W.H. Wright. “Joseph Haines Moore 1878-1949).” Popular Astronomy, vol. LVII, no. 8, whole no. 588 (October 1949): 372-375.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1949PA.....57..372.

Campbell, W.W. (William Wallace). “The Total Solar Eclipse of September 10, 1923.” Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, vol. XXXIII, no. 195 (October 1921): 255-257.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1921PASP...33..255C

Campbell, William Wallace; and Joseph Haines Moore, collab. Radial Velocities of Stars Brighter Than Visual Magnitude 5.51 as Determined at Mount Hamilton and Santiago.” Publications of the Lick Observatory, vol. XVI. Berkeley CA: University of California Press, 1928.
Available via HathiTrust @ https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001659820

Consolmagno, Guy; and Dan M. Davis. Turn Left at Orion. Fourth edition. Cambridge UK; New York NY: Cambridge University Press, 2011.

De Jager, C. (Cornelius) ; and A. (Arnost) Jappel, eds. XIVth General Assembly -- Transactions of the IAU Vol. XIV B Proceedings of the 14th General Assembly Brighton, United Kingdom, August 18-27, 1970. Washington DC: Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Jan. 1, 1971.
Available @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Hockey, Thomas, ed.-in-chief; Virginia Trimble and Thomas R. Williams senior eds. “Moore, Joseph Haines.” Biographical Encylcopedia of Astronomers, vol. II M-Z: 801-802. New York NY: Springer Science+Business Media LLC, 2007.
Available via Google Books @ https://books.google.com/books?id=t-BF1CHkc50C&pg=PA801

International Astronomical Union. “Moore.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/4026

International Astronomical Union. “Moore F.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/11472

International Astronomical Union. “Moore L.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/11473

Johnson, Marian. “Mary Ann Haines Moore.” Find A Grave. Dec. 15, 2013.
Available @ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121762992

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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/07/stickney-crater-honors-phobos.html

McCray, Steve. “Ruth Lindley Moore.” Find A Grave. Sept. 20, 2008.
Available @ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29950001/ruth-moore

Moore, J.H. “The Crocker Eclipse Expedition of the Lick Observatory to Camptonville, California, April 28, 1930.” Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, vol. XLII, no. 247 (June 1930): 131-140.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1930PASP...42..131M

Moore, J.H. and F.J. (Ferdinand John) Neubauer. Fifth Catalogue of the Orbital Elements of Spectroscopic Binary Stars. Lick Observatory, August 1, 1948. Lick Observatory Bulletin, vol. XX, no. 521 (1948-1956):1-31. University of California Publications: Astronomy. Berkeley CA: University of California Press.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/seri/LicOB/0020//0000014.000.html

Moore, J.H. Fourth Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Stars. Lick Observatory May 1, 1936. Lick Observatory Bulletin, vol. XVIII, no. 483 (1936-1938): 1-38. University of California Publications: Astronomy. Berkeley CA: University of California Press.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1936LicOB..18....1M

Moore, J.H. (Joseph Haines). Third Catalogue of Spectroscopic Binary Stars. Issued Sept. 30, 1924. Lick Observatory Bulletin, vol. XI, no. 355 (1923-1924):141-186. Berkeley CA: University of California Press.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/seri/LicOB/0011//0000158.000.html

Moore, Patrick, Sir. Philip’s Atlas of the Universe. Revised edition. London UK: Philip’s, 2005.

Motsinger, Will. “John Haines Moore.” Find A Grave. July 14, 2012.
Available @ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93593541/john-haines-moore

U.S. Geological Survey. Color-Coded Topography and Shaded Relief Map of the Lunar Near Side and Far Side Hemispheres. U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series I-2769. Page last modified Nov. 30, 2016. Flagstaff AZ: U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center, 2003.
Available via USGS Publications Warehouse @ https://pubs.usgs.gov/imap/i2769/

van der Hucht, Karel A., ed. IAU Transactions: XXVI B Proceedings of the XXVIth General Assembly Prague, Czech Republic, August 14-25, 2006. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press, Dec. 30, 2008.
Available @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Wright, William H. Joseph Haines Moore 1878-1949: A Biographical Memoir. Washington DC: National Academy of Sciences, 1956.
Available @ http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/moore-joseph-h.pdf