Isabel Resides in Southwestern Mare Imbrium on Lunar Near Side

Summary: Isabel resides in southwestern Mare Imbrium on the lunar near side as a northwest quadrant craterlet with closest neighbors Louise, Samir and Walter.

Detail of Near Side Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Isabel's (lower center) Delisle-Diophantus neighborhood in lunar near side's southwestern Mare Imbrium: USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Isabel resides in southwestern Mare Imbrium on the lunar near side in a northwestern quadrant quartet, formed with Louise, Samir and Walter and located between Delisle and Diophantus.

Isabel is centered at 28.18 degrees north latitude, minus 34.07 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The northwestern quadrant crater's northernmost and southernmost latitudes are given as 28.2 degrees north and 28.16 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are identified as minus 34.04 degrees west and minus 34.09 degrees west, respectively. Isabel has a diameter of 1.22 kilometers.

Isabel is sited in Mare Imbrium's southwestern fringes. The craterlet's location places it to the east of the highland break that distinguishes the meeting of east central Oceanus Procellarum with west central Mare Imbrium. The moon's dark, basaltic plains are designated as maria (Latin: mare, "sea"; maria, "seas"). Procellarum's immensity qualifies it for the unique designation of oceanus, defined by the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature's Descriptor Terms (Feature Types) webpage as: "A very large dark area on the moon."

Mare Imbrium ("Sea of Showers") is centered at 34.72 degrees north latitude, minus 14.91 degrees west longitude. The dark, basaltic plain achieves northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 51.46 degrees north and 15.23 degrees north, respectively. It obtains easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 8.56 degrees east and minus 38.36 degrees west, respectively. Mare Imbrium's diameter spans 1,145.53 kilometers.

Isabel forms a quartet with as the craterlet's nearest named craterous neighbors in southwestern Mare Imbrium. Located to the northwest of Isabel, Samir and Louise anchor the quartet's northern end. Samir lies to the west of Louise. Lying to Isabel's southeast, Walter marks the quartet's southern end.

Samir is centered at 28.5 degrees north latitude, minus 34.29 degrees west longitude. It finds its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 28.54 degrees north and 28.47 degrees north, respectively. The craterlet establishes its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 34.25 degrees west and minus 34.32 degrees west, respectively. Samir has a diameter of 1.86 kilometers.

Louise is centered at 28.49 degrees north latitude, minus 34.2 degrees west longitude. The craterlet posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 28.5 degrees north and 28.48 degrees north, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 34.18 degrees west and minus 34.21 degrees west, respectively. Louise has a diameter of 0.64 kilometers.

Walter is centered at 28.04 degrees north latitude, minus 33.81 degrees west longitude. The craterlet's northernmost and southernmost latitudes occur at 28.07 degrees north and 28.02 degrees north, respectively. It places its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 33.79 degrees west and minus 33.83 degrees west, respectively. Walter has a diameter of 1.26 kilometers.

The quartet of Samir, Louise, Isabel and Walter lies between Delisle and Diophantus. Delisle Crater neighbors to the north of the quartet. Diophantus Crater is positioned to the south.

Delisle Crater is centered at 29.98 degrees north latitude, minus 34.68 degrees west longitude. The lunar impact crater records northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 30.39 degrees north and 29.57 degrees north. It registers its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 34.2 degrees west and minus 35.15 degrees west, respectively. Delisle's diameter measures 24.83 kilometers.

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

Isabel 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). Isabel is plotted on NASA Lunar Topophotomap 39B2S1, which was published in September 1976. The map's Names Information lists "Isabel, Louise, Rima Brahms, Samir, Walter" as "provisional names pending IAU approval."

The International Astronomical Union approved Isabel as the craterlet's name in 1979. The Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature explains Isabel as: "Spanish female name."

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 39 shows Isabel's (lower center) Delisle-Diophantus 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.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Detail of Near Side Shaded Relief and Color-Coded Topography Map shows Isabel's (lower center) Delisle-Diophanthus neighborhood in southwestern Mare Imbrium: USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/moon_nearside.pdf

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 39 shows Isabel's (lower center) Delisle-Diophantus neighborhood in southeastern Mare Imbrium: image credit NASA/GSFC/ASU, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Lunar/lac_39_wac.pdf

For further information:

Andersson, Leif E.; and Ewen A. Whitaker. NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA Reference Publication 1097. Hampton VA: NASA Scientific and Technical Information Branch, October 1982.
Available via NASA NTRS (NASA Technical Reports Server) @ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19830003761/downloads/19830003761.pdf

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The Defense Mapping Agency Topographic Center. "Lunar Topophotomap Samir." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lunar Topophotomap Edition 1 Sheet 39B2S1 (25). Washington DC: The Defense Mapping Agency Topographic Center, September 1976.
Available @ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/topophoto/39B2S1/150dpi.jpg

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Delisle.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/1472

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Diophantus.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/1543

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Isabel.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2722

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Louise.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3483

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Mare Imbrium.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3678

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Samir.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5294

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Target: The Moon.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/MOON/target

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Walter.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/6482

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The Moon Wiki. “Delisle.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > D Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Delisle

The Moon Wiki. “Diophantus.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > D Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Diophantus

The Moon Wiki. “Isabel.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > I Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Isabel

The Moon Wiki. “Louise.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > L Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Louise

The Moon Wiki. “Mare Imbrium.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > I Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Imbrium,_Mare

The Moon Wiki. “Samir.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > S Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Samir

The Moon Wiki. “Walter.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > W Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Walter

Moore, Patrick, Sir. Astronomy Encyclopedia: An A-Z Guide to the Universe. New York NY: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2002.

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Müller, E. (Edith A.); and A. (Arnost), Jappel, eds. XVIth General Assembly -- Transactions of the IAU Vol. XVI B Proceedings of the 16th General Assembly Grenoble, France, August 24-September 21, 1976. Washington DC: Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Jan. 1, 1977.
Available @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/