Boris Craterlet Lies in West Central Mare Imbrium on Lunar Near Side

Summary: Boris Craterlet lies in the west central Mare Imbrium on the lunar near side to the east of break shared by Mare Imbrium and Oceanus Procellarum.

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

Boris Craterlet lies in the west central Mare Imbrium on the lunar near side to the east of the highland break that distinguishes the joining of west central Mare Imbrium with east central Oceanus Procellarum on the northwestern quadrant.

Boris is centered at 30.53 degrees north latitude, minus 33.5 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The northern hemisphere crater establishes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 30.56 degrees north and 30.51 degrees north, respectively. It finds its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 33.47 degrees west and minus 33.53 degrees west, respectively. Boris has a diameter of 1.73 kilometers.

Boris Craterlet is positioned in the west central Mare Imbrium ("Sea of Showers"). It lies to the east of the highland break that joins eastern central Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms") with west central Mare Imbrium. The two neighbors rank as the moon's two largest dark, basaltic plains. Lunar maria (Latin: mare, "sea"; maria, "seas") are defined as ". . . low albedo, relatively smooth plain, generally of large extent" by the Gazetteer's Descriptor Terms (Feature Types) page. Procellarum's immensity qualifies it for the unique category of oceanus, which denotes "A very large dark area on the moon."

Oceanus Procellarum is centered at 20.67 degrees north latitude, minus 56.68 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes stretch to 57.43 degrees north and minus 16.27 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to minus 26.85 degrees west and minus 81.08 degrees west, respectively. Oceanus Procellarum's diameter spans 2,592.24 kilometers.

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

Delisle, Gaston and Linda occur as named craters lying nearest to Boris in Mare Imbrium. Closest neighbor Linda lies to the northeast of Boris. Next closest neighbor Gaston resides to the northwest. Delisle is located to the southwest of Boris.

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

Linda is centered at 30.69 degrees north latitude, minus 33.38 degrees west longitude. It obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 30.71 degrees north and 30.67 degrees north, respectively. It places its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 33.35 degrees west and minus 33.4 degrees west, respectively. Linda has a diameter of 1.11 kilometers.

Gaston is centered at 30.88 degrees north latitude, minus 33.96 degrees west longitude. It posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 30.91 degrees north and 30.84 degrees north, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 33.92 degrees west and minus 34 degrees west, respectively. Gaston has a diameter of 2.02 kilometers.

Rupes Boris slopes in western proximity to Boris Craterlet. The scarp's northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 30.82 degrees north and 30.56 degrees north, respectively. It registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 33.52 degrees west and minus 33.52 degrees west, respectivley. Rupes Boris has a diameter of 8.58 kilometers.

Rima Delisle slants across the terrain to the southeast and northeast of Boris. The fissure establishes northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 31.4 degrees north and 30.48 degrees north, respectively. It finds its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 31.78 degrees west and minus 33.14 degrees west, respectively. Rima Delisle's diameter measures 57.6 kilometers.

Boris 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). Boris is plotted on NASA Lunar Topophotomap 39B2S2, which was published in September 1976. The map's Names Information lists "Boris, Gaston, Linda, Rupes Boris" as "provisional names pending IAU approval."

The International Astronomical Association approved Boris as the west central Mare Imbrium craterlet's name in 1979. The Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature explains Boris as: "Russian male name."

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 39 shows Boris's (center) Delisle Crater neighborhood in lunar near side's west central 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 Boris Craterlet's (lower center) Delisle Crater neighborhood in lunar near side's west central 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 Boris's (center) Delisle Crater neighborhood in lunar near side's west central 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:

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The Defense Mapping Agency Topographic Center. "Lunar Topophotomap Rupes Boris." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lunar Topophotomap Edition 1 Sheet 39B2S2 (25). Washington DC: The Defense Mapping Agency Topographic Center, September 1976.
Available @ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/topophoto/39B2S2/150dpi.jpg

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Boris.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/826

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

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2112

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Linda.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3406

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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3678

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Oceanus Procellarum.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
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Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5054

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Rupes Boris.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5225

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