Summary: Keeler Crater parents four satellites on the lunar southwestern far side's rugged terrain south of the equator and west of the prime meridian.
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| view of bright-walled Keeler satellite S (lower center) obtained December 1968 during revolution 8 by Apollo 8 Hasselblad 70-mm camera, film magazine 17/C; NASA ID AS08-17-2709; courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration): No copyright, via Apollo Flight Journal Apollo 8 |
Keeler Crater parents four satellites on the lunar southwestern far side as a closely-gathered crater system south of the equator, west of the prime meridian and north of Mare Ingenii (Sea of Cleverness).
Twentieth-century American astronomer James Edward Keeler's lunar namesake, Keeler Crater, parents four satellites in the lunar far side's central low latitudes south of the equator. The crater system lies to the west of the prime meridian, which demarcates the lunar eastern and western hemispheres. The prime meridian registers at zero degrees on the near side and, antipodally, at 180 degrees on the far side.
The Keeler Crater system's parent crater is centered at minus 9.78 degrees south latitude, 161.78 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Keeler Crater registers northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 7.17 degrees south and minus 12.39 degrees south, respectively. The parental crater records easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 164.42 degrees east and 159.13 degrees east, respectively. Keeler Crater's diameter spans 158.07 kilometers.
Three of the Keeler Crater system's four satellites (S, U, V) reside as their parent's closest named western neighbors. Only one of the system's four satellites, Keeler L, presents eastern residency with respect to its parent.
Keeler L snuggles, with its northern interior floor pitted with craterlets, at its parent's east-southeastern border. The satellite is centered at minus 13.06 degrees south latitude, 163.21 degrees east longitude. L establishes northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 11.98 degrees south and minus 14.15 degrees south, respectively. It finds easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 164.32 degrees east and 162.09 degrees east, respectively. Keeler L's diameter of 65.65 kilometers qualifies it as the largest of the Keeler Crater system's four satellites.
Keeler S's bright eastern border shines in the landscape to the west-southwest of its parent. The diminutive satellite is centered at minus 11.21 degrees south latitude, 157.98 degrees east longitude. Keeler S obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 10.72 degrees south and minus 11.7 degrees south, respectively. The satellite's easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 158.48 degrees east and 157.48 degrees east, respectively. Keeler S's diameter of 29.67 kilometers ranks it as the smallest of the Keeler Crater system's four satellites.
Keeler S's nearest named southern neighbor is Geiger Y, the northernmost of the Geiger Crater system's four satellites. Geiger Y is centered at minus 12.44 degrees south latitude, 158.1 degrees east longitude. It posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 11.98 degrees south and minus 12.91 degrees south, respectively. It marks easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 158.58 degrees east and 157.62 degrees east, respectively. Geiger Y has a diameter of 28.24 kilometers.
As its parent's closest western satellite, Keeler V sprawls to the north of Keeler S. Keeler V is centered at minus 8.77 degrees south latitude, 158.21 degrees east longitude. The irregularly shaped satellite's northernmost and southernmost latitudes extend to minus 7.81 degrees south and minus 9.73 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes reach 159.18 degrees east and 157.24 degrees east, respectively. Keeler V's diameter of 58 kilometers qualify it as the Keeler Crater system's second largest satellite.
As the southernmost of the Ventris Crater system's seven satellites, Ventris N claims north-northwestern neighborship with Keeler V. Ventris N is centered at minus 6.81 degrees south latitude, 157.59 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes tap minus 5.78 degrees south and minus 7.85 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes touch 158.63 degrees east and 156.55 degrees east, respectively. Ventris N's diameter measures 62.81 kilometers.
As the Keeler Crater system's westernmost satellite, Keeler U neighbors along Keeler V's western border. Keeler U is centered at minus 8.98 degrees south latitude, 156.91 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are obtained at minus 8.48 degrees south and minus 9.47 degrees south, respectively. The small crater's easternmost and westernmost longitudes are found at 157.41 degrees east and 156.42 degrees east, respectively. Keeler U's diameter of 29.86 kilometers qualifies it as the second smallest satellite in the Keeler Crater system.
The Keeler Crater system's residence in the far side southern hemisphere's low latitudes south of the equator and west of the prime meridian establishes Mare Ingenii (Sea of Cleverness) as the Keeler system's closest lunar mare. The middle-latitude Mare Ingenii is centered at minus 33.25 degrees south latitude, 164.83 degrees east longitude. The Sea of Cleverness spreads its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to minus 28.54 degrees south and minus 37.42 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes stretch to 169.85 degrees east and 158.55 degrees east, respectively. Mare Ingenii's diameter spans 282.2 kilometers.
The takeaways for Keeler Crater's parentage of four satellites on the lunar southwestern far side are that the parental crater has three western satellites (S, U, V); that Keeler L claims uniqueness as the system's only eastern satellite; that Keeler U resides as the Keeler Crater system's westernmost satellite; and that Keeler L and Keeler S qualify as the Keeler Crater system's largest and smallest satellites, respectively; and that Ventris N and Geiger Y frame the three western Keeler satellites as their northern and southern neighbors, respectively.
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| Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 85 shows the Keeler Crater system's parental crater and four satellites, Keeler L (lower center) and Keeler S, U and V (left); scale 1:1,000,000; Mercator Projection: United States Air Force (USAF) Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC) via USGS/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:
Image credits:
view of bright-walled Keeler satellite S (lower center) obtained December 1968 during revolution 8 by Apollo 8 Hasselblad 70-mm camera, film magazine 17/C; NASA ID AS08-17-2709; courtesy NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration): No copyright, via Apollo Flight Journal Apollo 8 @ https://history.nasa.gov/afj/ap08fj/photo17-c.html; Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keeler_S_crater_as08-17-2709hr.jpg; Project Apollo Archive (Apollo Image Gallery), Public Domain, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/projectapolloarchive/22304946196
Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 85 shows the Keeler Crater system's parental crater and four satellites, Keeler L (lower center) and Keeler S, U and V (left); scale 1:1,000,000; Mercator Projection: United States Air Force (USAF) Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC) via USGS/Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_85_wac.pdf
For further information:
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/9424
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2976
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/10290
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/10291
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International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Keeler U.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/10292
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/10293
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3679
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/13660
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