Earth and Space News: Courtney Resides in Southwestern Mare Imbrium on Lunar Near Side

Summary: Courtney resides in southwestern Mare Imbrium on the lunar near side to the southwest of Mons La Hire and to the northwest of Euler Crater.

Detail of Near Side Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Courtney's (upper center) Diophantus-Mons La Hire-Mons Vinogradov-Euler neighborhood in southwestern Mare Imbrium: USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Courtney resides in southwestern Mare Imbrium on the lunar near side in a northwestern quadrant neighborhood defined by Mons La Hire to the northeast, Diophantus Crater to the northwest, Mons Vinogradov to the southwest and Euler Crater to the southeast.

Courtney is centered at 25.14 degrees north latitude, minus 30.81 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. It marks its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 25.16 degrees north and 25.11 degrees north, respectively. It posts easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 30.78 degrees west and minus 30.83 degrees west, respectively. Courtney has a diameter of 1.24 kilometers.

Courtney is positioned near the southwestern edges of Mare Imbrium. Its location places it to the southeast of the highland break where east central Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms") meet west central Mare Imbrium ("Sea of Showers").

Mare Imbrium is centered at 34.72 degrees north latitude, minus 14.91 degrees west longitude. The dark, basaltic plain's northernmost and southernmost latitudes stretch to 51.46 degrees north and 15.23 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to 8.56 degrees east and minus 38.36 degrees west, respectively. Mare Imbrium's diameter spans 1,145.53 kilometers.

Courtney's neighborhood in southwestern Mare Imbrium can be pinpointed by two craters and two mountains. Diophantus Crater and Euler Crater neighbor to the northwest and southeast, respectively, of Courtney. Mons La Hire and Mons Vinogradov lie to the northeast and southwest, respectively, of Courtney.

Diophantus Crater is centered at 27.62 degrees north latitude, minus 34.3 degrees west longitude. The lunar impact crater records northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 27.91 degrees north and 27.33 degrees north, respectively. It registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 33.97 degrees west and minus 34.62 degrees west, respectively. Diophantus Crater's diameter measures 17.57 kilometers.

Euler Crater is centered at 23.26 degrees north latitude, minus 29.18 degrees west longitude. The lunar impact crater obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 23.69 degrees north and 22.83 degrees north, respectively. It places its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 28.71 degrees west and minus 29.65 degreees west, respectively. Euler Crater's diameter measures 26.03 kilometers.

Mons La Hire's peaks rise above Mare Imbrium's dark plain to the east of Diophantus Crater. The mountain lies to the northeast of Courtney, Euler Crater and Mons Vinogradov.

Mons La Hire is centered at 27.66 degrees north latitude, minus 25.51 degrees west longitude. The mountain's northernmost and southernmost latitudes are reached at 27.88 degrees north and 27.49 degrees north, respectively. Easternmost and westernmost longitudes are established at minus 25.12 degrees west and minus 25.95 degrees west, respectively. Mons La Hire's diameter measures 21.71 kilometers.

Mons Vinogradov lies to the southwest of Courtney and Euler Crater. Prior to official name approval in 1979, the massif was known as Mons Euler.

Mons Vinogradov is centered at 22.35 degrees north latitude, minus 32.52 degrees west longitude. The massif registers northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 22.81 degrees north and 21.92 degrees north, respectively. The compact group of peaks records easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 31.96 degrees west and minus 32.99 degrees west, respectively. Mons Vinogradov's diameter measures 28.73 kilometers.

Three different geological features radiate in proximity to Courtney. Rima Zahia lies to the east. Catena Yuri is positioned to the southeast. Dorsum Thera occurs to the southwest.

Rima Zahia neighbors as the closest of the three named features to Courtney. The fissure displays a rough north-south trend.

Rima Zahia is centered at 25.02 degrees north latitude, minus 30.46 degrees west longitude. The fissure marks its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 25.25 degrees north and 24.79 degrees north, respectively. It posts easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 30.36 degrees west and minus 30.49 degrees west, respectively. Rima Zahia has a diameter of 15.24 kilometers.

Catena Yuri is found to the south of Rima Zahia. The chain of craters trends northwest-southeast.

Catena Yuri is centered at 24.41 degrees north latitude, minus 30.38 degrees west longitude. The craterous chain maintains northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 24.47 degrees north and 24.35 degrees north, respectively. The chain's easternmost and westernmost longitudes are listed as minus 30.34 degrees west and minus 30.43 degrees west, respectively. Catena Yura has a diameter of 4.52 kilometers.

Dorsum Thera is located to the west of Catena Yuri. The ridge presents a fairly north-south alignment.

Dorsum Thera is centered at 24.4 degrees north latitude, minus 31.42 degrees west longitude. The dorsum (Latin: "back, ridge") achieves its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 24.51 degrees north and 24.29 degrees north, respectively. The ridge identifies its easternmost and westernmost longitudes as minus 31.38 degrees west and minus 31.47 degrees west, respectively. Dorsum Thera's diameter measures 7.25 kilometers.

Courtney numbers among 95 minor features identified with first-name designations on lunar topophotomaps prepared and published by The Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Courtney is plotted on NASA Lunar Topophotomap 39B3S1, which was published in June 1974. The map's Names Identification lists "Courtney, Thera, Yuri, Zahia "as unofficial names used "only for the identification of features on this map."

The International Astronomical Union approved Courtney as the craterlet's official name in 1976. The Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature identifies Courtney as: "English male name."

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Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 39 shows Courtney's (center right) Diophantus Crater-Mons Vinogradov neighborhood in southwestern Mare Imbrium: image credit NASA/GSFC/ASU, 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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Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Courtney Resides in Southwestern Mare Imbrium on Lunar Near Side

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