Earth and Space News: far side lunar craters

Showing posts with label far side lunar craters. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Far Side Roche Crater Honors 19th-Century French Astronomer Édouard Roche

Summary: Lunar far side Roche Crater honors Édouard Roche, a 19th-century French astronomer, celestial mechanics specialist, mathematician and meteorologist.

Lunar far side Roche Crater honors Édouard Roche, a 19th-century French astronomer, celestial mechanics specialist, mathematician and meteorologist who focused on the effects of gravitational forces on orbital mechanics.

Worn-rimmed Roche Crater resides in the southern hemisphere on the lunar far side. It is centered at minus 42.37 degrees south latitude, 136.54 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. It records northmost and southmost latitudes of minus 39.85 degrees south and minus 44.88 degrees south, respectively. It registers its eastmost and westmost longitudes at 139.96 degrees east and 133.12 degrees east, respectively. Roche Crater's diameter spans 152.67 kilometers.

Pauli Crater sprawls across Roche Crater's southern rim. A ghost crater in the southeastern portion of its lava-flooded interior floor distinguishes Pauli Crater. Roche Crater's superpositioned southern rim-mate is centered at minus 44.76 degrees south latitude, 137.35 degrees east longitude. The intrusive lunar impact crater marks its northmost and southmost latitudes at minus 43.19 degrees south and minus 46.33 degrees south, respectively. It establishes its eastmost and westmost longitudes at 139.56 degrees east and 135.14 degrees east, respectively. Pauli Crater's diameter measures 95.28 kilometers.

Rosseland Crater lies to the west of northwestern Roche Crater. The fairly level interior-floored lunar impact crater is centered at minus 40.82 degrees south latitude, 130.68 degrees east longitude. The lunar southern hemisphere-sited crater posts northmost and southmost latitudes of minus 39.72 degrees south and minus 41.92 degrees south, respectively. It obtains eastmost and westmost longitudes of 132.14 degrees east and 129.25 degrees east, respectively. Rosseland Crater has a diameter of 67.66 kilometers.

Eötvös Crater is sited to the north-northwest of Roche Crater. The lunar impact crater silhouettes with a battered northwestern rim and an indistinct southeastern rim. The lunar southern hemisphere-sited crater is centered at minus 35.61 degrees south latitude, 134.43 degrees east longitude. It achieves its northmost and southmost latitudes at minus 33.93 degrees south and minus 37.29 degrees south, respectively. It lists its eastmost and westmost longitudes at 136.50 degrees east and 132.36 degrees east, respectively. Eötvös Crater's diameter measures 101.80 kilometers.

Verne Crater is located to the northeast of Roche Crater. Worn-rimmed Verne Crater is centered at 24.95 degrees north latitude, minus 25.38 degrees west longitude. The lunar northern hemisphere-sited crater finds its northmost and southmost latitudes as 24.98 degrees north and 24.93 degrees north, respectively. The western hemisphere dweller obtains its eastmost and westmost longitudes at minus 25.35 degrees west and minus 25.41 degrees west, respectively. Verne Crater has a diameter of 1.54 kilometers.

Ramsay Crater is situated to the east-northeast of Roche Crater and to the south-southwest of Verne Crater. A craterlet-notched, worn rim and a low central rise from a mostly featureless interior floor distinguish Ramsay Crater. The lunar southern hemisphere-sited lunar impact crater is centered at minus 40.02 degrees south latitude, 145.04 degrees east longitude. It defines its northmost and southmost latitudes at minus 39.01 degrees south and minus 41.03 degrees south, respectively. It delimits its eastmost and westmost longitudes to 146.36 degrees east and 143.72 degrees east, respectively. Ramsay Crater has a diameter of 61.28 kilometers.

Roche Crater inhabits the cratered terrain to the southwest of Mare Ingenii. The Sea of Cleverness is centered at minus 33.25 degrees south latitude, 164.83 degrees east longitude. The southern hemisphere-sited dark plain's northmost and southmost latitudes extend from minus 28.54 degrees south to minus 37.42 degrees south, respectively. Its eastmost and westmost longitudes stretch from 169.85 degrees east to 158.55 degrees east, respectively. Mare Ingenii's diameter spans 282.20 kilometers.

Roche Crater honors 19th-century French astronomer, celestial mechanics specialist, mathematician and meteorologist Édouard Albert Roche (Oct. 17, 1820-April 27, 1883). His interests in celestial mechanics included studying the effects of gravitational forces on orbital mechanics. The International Astronomical Union officially approved Roche Crater’s name in 1970. The organization’s XIVth (14th) General Assembly was held in 1970 from Tuesday, Aug. 18, to Thursday, Aug. 27, in Brighton, United Kingdom.

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:

south-facing, oblique view of Roche Crater (lower), with southern rim superpositioned Pauli Crater (upper); frame 3121, image among 211 photographs obtained by Lunar Orbiter III (LO III) between Wednesday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 23, 1967; cropped and created with UploadWizard Monday, May 23, 2016, 03:46: James Stuby (JStuby), Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roche_and_Pauli_craters_3121_med.jpg; via Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Resources @ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunarorbiter/frame/?3121 (frame URL); via Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Resources @ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunarorbiter/mission/?3 (gallery URL)

south-facing, oblique view of Roche Crater with southern rim superpositioned Pauli Crater (upper center left) and northern neighbor Eötvös Crater (below Roche); frame 3121, image among 211 photographs obtained by Lunar Orbiter III (LO III) between Wednesday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 23, 1967: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lunar_Orbiter_3_moon_image.jpg; via Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Resources @ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunarorbiter/frame/?3121 (frame URL); via Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Resources @ https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunarorbiter/mission/?3 (gallery URL)

For further information:

Ashworth, William B., Jr., Dr. "Scientist of the Day -- Édouard Roche." Linda Hall Library > News > Scientist of the Day > Edouard Roche. Oct. 17, 2019.
Available @ https://www.lindahall.org/about/news/scientist-of-the-day/edouard-roche/

Boussinesq, J. (Joseph Valentin). "Notice sur la vie et les travaux de M. Édouard Roche, professeur à la Faculté des sciences de Montpellier, correspondant de l'Institut, membre associé de la Société des sciences de Lille." Pages 17-35. Mémoires de aa Société des Sciences de l'agriculture et des Arts de Lille. 4e série. -- Tome XIV. Lille: L. Quarré, Libraire, 1885.
Available via BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) Gallica @ https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k58117762/f19.image.r

Bussey, Ben; and Paul Spudis. The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. Revised and updated edition. First published 2004. Cambridge UK; Cambridge MA: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Available via Dokumen.PUB @ https://dokumen.pub/qdownload/the-clementine-atlas-of-the-moon-9780521141017-052114101x.html

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/

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Eötvös.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct 18, 2010 12:00 PM.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/1893

International Astronomical Union. “Mare Ingenii.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Last updated Oct 18, 2010 12:00 PM.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3679

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Pauli.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct 18, 2010 12:00 PM.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/4613

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Ramsay.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct 18, 2010 12:00 PM.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/4939

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Roche.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct 18, 2010 12:00 PM.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5166

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Rosseland.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct 18, 2010 12:00 PM.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5196

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Verne.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct 18, 2010 12:00 PM.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/6358

Marriner, Derdriu. "Nine Craters Honor Phobos Finder's Wife and Eight Mars Scientists." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024.
Available @

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

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

The Moon Wiki. “Pauli.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > P Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Pauli

The Moon Wiki. “Ramsay.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > R Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ramsay

The Moon Wiki. “Roche.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > R Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Roche

The Moon Wiki. “Rosseland.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > R Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Rosseland

The Moon Wiki. “Verne.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > V Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Verne

Parsons, Alex; Inkleby. "Mare Ingenii (Moon) 'Sea of Cleverness.'" We Name the Stars > Moon > Feature Type: Mare > Features Associated With Mare: Mare Ingenii.
Available via We Name the Stars @ https://wenamethestars.inkleby.com/feature/3679

Parsons, Alex; Inkleby. "Pauli (Moon) Named after Wolfgang Pauli -- Austrian-American physicist; Nobel laureate (1900-1958)." We Name the Stars > Moon > Feature Type: Crater > Features Associated With Crater: Crater Pauli.
Available via We Name the Stars @ https://wenamethestars.inkleby.com/feature/4613

Parsons, Alex; Inkleby. "Ramsay (Moon) Named after Sir William Ramsay -- British chemist; Nobel laureate (1852-1916)." We Name the Stars > Moon > Feature Type: Crater > Features Associated With Crater: Crater Ramsay.
Available via We Name the Stars @ https://wenamethestars.inkleby.com/feature/4939

Parsons, Alex; Inkleby. "Roche (Moon) Named after Édouard Albert Roche -- French astronomer (1820-1883)." We Name the Stars > Moon > Feature Type: Crater > Features Associated With Crater: Crater Roche.
Available via We Name the Stars @ https://wenamethestars.inkleby.com/feature/51666

Parsons, Alex; Inkleby. "Rosseland (Moon) Named after Svein Rosseland -- Norwegian astrophysicist (1894-1985)." We Name the Stars > Moon > Feature Type: Crater > Features Associated With Crater: Crater Rosseland.
Available via We Name the Stars @ https://wenamethestars.inkleby.com/feature/5196

Parsons, Alex; Inkleby. "Verne (Moon) Latin male name." We Name the Stars > Moon > Feature Type: Crater > Features Associated With Crater: Crater Verne.
Available via We Name the Stars @ https://wenamethestars.inkleby.com/feature/6358

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Lunar L. Clark Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist Laurel Clark

Summary: Lunar L. Clark Crater honors Space Shuttle Columbia Mission Specialist Laurel Clark, who perished with her six colleagues on the spaceplane in 2003.

On Friday, Jan. 17, 2003, during Space Shuttle Columbia's 28th mission, STS-107 (Thursday, Jan. 16, to Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Clark, on her first spaceflight, and Commander Rick Husband, on his second spaceflight, are situated near supportive equipment for experiments on the SPACEHAB Research Double Module (RDM); NASA ID S107E05020: Not subject to copyright, via NASA Image and Video Library

The lunar southern hemisphere's far side L. Clark Crater honors Space Shuttle Columbia Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003), who perished during her first spaceflight, along with six colleagues, as the orbiter re-entered Earth's atmosphere Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

Laurel Clark's crater groups with six other Columbia-themed craters in the southeastern interior of Apollo Crater. Also known as Apollo Basin, the prominent impact crater exists as a basin-within-a-basin in the sprawling South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin. Apollo Crater lies in the SPA Basin's northeastern quadrant, according to Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center's mineralogy and petrology specialist, Canadian-American geologist Donald Allen Morrison (July 19, 1936-Jan. 16, 2021), and then Lunar and Planetary Institute postdoctoral researcher, American physicist and planetary geologist D. Benjamin J. Bussey, in their paper, "The Apollo and Korolev basins and the stratigraphy of the lunar crust," presented at the 28th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference (LPSC 1997), held in Houston, Texas, March 17-21, 1997.

Apollo Crater is centered at minus 35.69 degrees south latitude, minus 151.48 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The southern hemisphere crater's northernmost and southernmost latitudes extend from minus 28.12 degrees south to minus 44.19 degrees south, respectively. The worn geologic structure's easternmost and westernmost longitudes stretch from minus 140.58 degrees west to minus 162.07 degrees west, respectively. Apollo Crater's diameter spans 524.23 kilometers.

American Naval Flight Surgeon and NASA astronaut Laurel Clark's lunar crater is centered at minus 43.34 degrees south latitude, minus 147.70 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes settle at minus 43.08 degrees south and minus 43.59 degrees south, respectively. It encounters its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.35 degrees west and minus 148.04 degrees west, respectively. L. Clark Crater has a diameter of 15.30 kilometers.

L. Clark Crater occupies the southernmost position among the lunar far side's Columbia craters. Located to the north, Chawla Crater occurs as L. Clark Crater's nearest Columbia neighbor.

Chawla Crater honors first Indian female astronaut and first Indian-American astronaut Kalpana "K.C." Chawla (March 17, 1962-Feb. 1, 2003). For her second spaceflight, the aerospace engineer, aerobatic pilot and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 2 on Space Shuttle Columbia's last, fatal mission.

Chawla Crater is centered at minus 42.48 degrees south latitude, minus 147.49 degrees west longitude. It lists its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 42.24 degrees south and minus 42.71 degrees south, respectively. It details easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 147.80 degrees west, respectively.

Chawla Crater's diameter measures 14.25 kilometers. Its diminutiveness qualifies Chawla Crater as the smallest of the lunar far side's Columbia Craters.

Chawla Crater interposes between L. Clark Crater and D. Brown Crater. The trio exhibits a fairly straight north-south alignment.

D. Brown Crater honors David McDowell Brown (April 16, 1956-Feb. 1, 2003). The United States Navy captain and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 1 on Space Shuttle Columbia's 28th and final mission, which also qualified as Brown's first and last spaceflight.

D. Brown Crater is centered at minus 41.65 degrees south latitude, minus 147.16 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes correspond to minus 41.38 degrees south and minus 41.91 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes match with minus 146.80 degrees west and minus 147.52 degrees west, respectively. D. Brown Crater has a diameter of 16.12 kilometers.

Craters named for Space Shuttle Columbia's seven fallen astronaut occur in the southeastern interior of Apollo Crater, also known as Apollo Basin, an enormous impact crater in the southern hemisphere on the lunar far side; Moon 1:10 million-scale Shaded Relief and Color-coded Topography: via Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

McCool Crater is located distantly northeast of L. Clark Crater and northeast of D. Brown Crater. Its northeasterly position qualifies as the easternmonst among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

McCool Crater honors American naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aeronautical engineer and NASA astronaut William Cameron McCool (born William Cameron Graham; Sep. 23, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003). McCool's position as the STS-107 mission's Pilot marked his first and only spaceflight.

McCool Crater is centered at minus 41.28 degrees south latitude, minus 146.26 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are detected at minus 40.94 degrees south and minus 41.62 degrees south latitude, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are asserted at minus 145.81 degrees west and minus 146.71 degrees west, respectively. McCool Crater has a diameter of 20.47 kilometers.

Ramon Crater is positioned to the distant northwest of L. Clark Crater and to the near northwest of D. Brown Crater. Ramon Crater forms a fairly straight west-east alignment with McCool Crater to the east and M. Anderson Crater to the west.

Ramon Crater honors Ilan Ramon (born Ilan Wolferman; June 20, 1954-Feb 1, 2003). The Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot and first Israeli astronaut served as Space Shuttle Columbia's Payload Specialist for his first and only spaceflight.

Ramon Crater is centered at minus 41.23 degrees south latitude, minus 148.08 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are noted at minus 40.97 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are obtained at minus 147.71 degrees west and minus 148.45 degrees west, respectively. Ramon Crater has a diameter of 17.23 kilometers.

M. Anderson Crater's position to the west of Ramon Crater qualifies as the westernmost among the lunar far side's Columbia craters. M. Anderson Crater lies to the distant northwest of L. Clark Crater.

M. Anderson Crater honors Michael Phillip Anderson (Dec. 25, 1959-Feb. 1, 2003). The United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut served as Payload Commander and Mission Specialist 3 for his second spaceflight.

M. Anderson Crater is centered at minus 41.21 degrees south latitude, minus 148.99 degrees west longitude. It secures its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 40.93 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. It presents its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 148.62 degrees west and minus 149.36 degrees west, respectively. M. Anderson Crater has a diameter of 16.94 kilometers.

Husband Crater lies to the far north of L. Clark Crater and to the near north-northeast of Ramon Crater. Husband Crater's position qualifies as the northernmost among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

Husband Crater honors Richard "Rick" Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957-Feb. 1, 2003). For his second spaceflight, the American fighter pilot and NASA astronaut served as commander of Space Shuttle Columbia's last, tragic flight, Thursday, Jan. 16, to Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

Commander Rick Husband's lunar crater is centered at minus 40.32 degrees south latitude, minus 147.84 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are represented at minus 39.85 degrees south and minus 40.78 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are tapped at minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 148.51 degrees west, respectively.

Husband Crater's diameter measures 31.26 kilometers. Its size qualifies Husband Crater as the largest among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

The International Astronomical Union officialized L. Clark Crater’s name in 2006, during the organization’s XXVIth (26th) General Assembly, held Monday, Aug. 14, to Friday, Aug. 25, in Prague, Czech Republic. The XXVIth General Assembly granted group approval to all seven 28th Columbia mission crew-honoring lunar craters.

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 121 shows the seven southern hemisphere craters honoring Mission Specialist Laurel Clark and her six Space Shuttle Columbia colleagues in the lunar far side's Apollo Basin: 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

Arizona State University Apollo Image Archive. "Featured Image -- 07/14/2009 Aitken Crater." ASU (Arizona State University) SER (Space Exploration Resources) Apollo Image Archive > Featured Image List.
Available @ http://apollo.sese.asu.edu/LIW/20090714.html

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Apollo.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/326

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Borman.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/827

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Chawla.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14139

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “D. Brown.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14138

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Husband.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14140

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “L. Clark.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14143

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “M. Anderson.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Feb. 1, 2011, 2:19 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14137

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “McCool.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14141

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Ramon.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14142

Marriner, Derdriu. "Ilan Ramon Had Moon Landscape Drawing by Petr Ginz on Columbia Shuttle." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/ilan-ramon-had-moon-landscape-drawing.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Chawla Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-chawla-crater-honors-columbia.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar D. Brown Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist David Brown." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-d-brown-crater-honors-columbia.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Far Side Husband Crater Honors Columbia Commander Rick Husband." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-husband-crater-honors.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Far Side McCool Crater Honors Columbia Pilot William McCool." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-mccool-crater-honors.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Far Side Ramon Crater Honors First Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-ramon-crater-honors.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "M. Anderson Crater Honors Columbia Payload Commander Michael Anderson." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/m-anderson-crater-honors-columbia.html

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

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

The Moon Wiki. “Chawla.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > C Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Chawla

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

The Moon Wiki. “Husband.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > H Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Husband

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

The Moon Wiki. “M. Anderson.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > M Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/M._Anderson

The Moon Wiki. “McCool.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > M Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/McCool

The Moon Wiki. “Ramon.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > R Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ramon

Morrison, Donald A. (Allen); and D. Ben J. Bussey. "The Apollo and Korolev basins and the stratigraphy of the lunar crust." Pages 987-988. Lunar and Planetary Science XXVIII: Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Twenty-eighth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 17-21, 1997, Part 2 P-Z (1057-1638). Houston TX: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 1997.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1997LPI....28..987M
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ https://adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1997LPI....28..987M

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "David Brown, Mission Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Brown.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/Brown%20Astronaut%20Bio%20Data.htm

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA @ https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ramon.pdf
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Ramon.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/PAYLOA%7E1.HTM

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Chawla.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/ASTRON%7E1.HTM

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Laurel Blair Salton Clark, Mission Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Clark.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/Clark%20Astronaut%20Bio%20Data.htm

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Anderson.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/anderson_biodata.htm

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Rick D. Husband, Commander." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Husband.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/ASTRON%7E2.HTM

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "William C. McCool, Pilot." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/McCool.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/McCool%20Astronaut%20Bio%20Data.htm

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Available @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

M. Anderson Crater Honors Columbia Payload Commander Michael Anderson

Summary: Lunar far side M. Anderson Crater honors Columbia Payload Commander Michael Anderson, who perished with his six colleagues on the spaceplane in 2003.

During his second spaceflight, Michael Anderson, payload commander of Space Shuttle Columbia's 28th mission, STS-107 (Thursday, Jan. 16, to Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003), sits on the space shuttle orbiter's aft flight deck on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2003; NASA ID S107E05026: Not subject to copyright, via NASA Image and Video Library

The lunar southern hemisphere's far side M. Anderson Crater honors Space Shuttle Columbia Payload Commander Michael Phillip Anderson (Dec. 25, 1959-Feb. 1, 2003), who perished during his second spaceflight, along with his six colleagues, as the shuttle orbiter re-entered Earth's atmosphere Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

The southeastern interior of Apollo Crater cradles seven craters honoring the Space Shuttle Columbia's last crew. Also known as Apollo Basin, the huge impact crater occurs as a basin-within-a-basin within the massive South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin. Apollo Crater lies in the SPA Basin's northeastern quadrant, according to Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center's mineralogy and petrology specialist, Canadian-American geologist Donald Allen Morrison (July 19, 1936-Jan. 16, 2021), and then Lunar and Planetary Institute postdoctoral researcher, American physicist and planetary geologist D. Benjamin J. Bussey, in their paper, "The Apollo and Korolev basins and the stratigraphy of the lunar crust," presented at the 28th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference (LPSC 1997), held in Houston, Texas, March 17-21, 1997.

Apollo Crater is centered at minus 35.69 degrees south latitude, minus 151.48 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The southern hemisphere crater's northernmost and southernmost latitudes travel from minus 28.12 degrees south to minus 44.19 degrees south, respectively. The worn geologic structure pinpoints its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 140.58 degrees west and minus 162.07 degrees west, respectively. Apollo Crater's diameter spans 524.23 kilometers.

Columbia Mission Specialist David Brown's lunar crater is centered at minus 41.21 degrees south latitude, minus 148.99 degrees west longitude. It identifies its northernmost and southernmost latitudes as minus 40.93 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. It determines its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 148.62 degrees west and minus 149.36 degrees west, respectively. M. Anderson Crater has a diameter of 16.94 kilometers.

M. Anderson Crater anchors the westernmost position among the lunar far side's group of Columbia craters. Its location also marks the western terminus in a fairly straight-line alignment of a trio including Ramon and McCool craters.

Ramon Crater, sited closely to the east, qualifies as M. Anderson Crater's closest Columbia craterous neighbor. Ramon Crater honors Ilan Ramon (born Ilan Wolferman; June 20, 1954-Feb 1, 2003). The Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot and first Israeli astronaut served as Space Shuttle Columbia's Payload Specialist for his first and only spaceflight.

Ramon Crater is centered at minus 41.23 degrees south latitude, minus 148.08 degrees west longitude. Ramon Crater obtains its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 40.97 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. It secures its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.71 degrees west and minus 148.45 degrees west, respectively. Ramon Crater has a diameter of 17.23 kilometers.

McCool Crater marks the trio's eastern terminus. McCool Crater's site also qualifies as the easternmost position among the lunar far side's group of Columbia craters.

McCool Crater is centered at minus 41.28 degrees south latitude, minus 146.26 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes occur at minus 40.94 degrees south and minus 41.62 degrees south latitude, respectively. It establishes its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 145.81 degrees west and minus 146.71 degrees west, respectively. McCool Crater has a diameter of 20.47 kilometers.

Partial visibility exists between M. Anderson and D. Brown craters. From its dip southeast of Ramon Crater and southwest of McCool Crater, D. Brown Crater partially peeks at M. Anderson Crater.

D. Brown Crater is centered at minus 41.65 degrees south latitude, minus 147.16 degrees west longitude. It closes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 41.38 degrees south and minus 41.91 degrees south, respectively. It settles its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 146.80 degrees west and minus 147.52 degrees west, respectively. D. Brown Crater has a diameter of 16.12 kilometers.

Husband Crater lies to the northeast as McCool Crater's only northern Columbia neighbor. Husband Crater's position qualifies as the northernmost location among the lunar far side's group of Columbia craters.

Commander Rick Husband's lunar crater is centered at minus 40.32 degrees south latitude, minus 147.84 degrees west longitude. It sets its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 39.85 degrees south and minus 40.78 degrees south, respectively. The crater determines its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 148.51 degrees west, respectively.

Husband Crater's diameter measures 31.26 kilometers. Its span qualifies Husband Crater as the largest of the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

Chawla and L. Clark craters lie to the southeast of M. Anderson Crater. Chawla Crater occurs to the south of D. Brown Crater. L. Clark Crater's location as Chawla Crater's only southern neighbor qualifies as the southernmost position among the lunar far side's group of Columbia craters.

Chawla Crater is centered at minus 42.48 degrees south latitude, minus 147.49 degrees west longitude. It marks its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 42.24 degrees south and minus 42.71 degrees south, respectively. It observes easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 147.80 degrees west, respectively.

Chawla Crater has a diameter of 14.25 kilometers. Its littleness qualifies Chawla Crater as the smallest of the lunar far side's Columbia Craters.

L. Clark Crater honors Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003). For her first and only spaceflight, the American Naval Flight Surgeon and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 4 on Space Shuttle Columbia's fatal 28th mission.

L. Clark Crater is centered at minus 43.34 degrees south latitude, minus 147.70 degrees west longitude. The southernmost lunar Columbia crater logs its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 43.08 degrees south and minus 43.59 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are defined at minus 147.35 degrees west and minus 148.04 degrees west, respectively. L. Clark Crater has a diameter of 15.30 kilometers.

The International Astronomical Union officially adopted L. Clark Crater’s name in 2006, during the organization’s XXVIth (26th) General Assembly, held Monday, Aug. 14, to Friday, Aug. 25, in Prague, Czech Republic. The crater's officialization occurred as part of a batch approval of Columbia-honoring far side lunar craters during the XXVIth General Assembly.

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 121 shows the seven southern hemisphere craters honoring Payload Commander Michael Anderson and his six Space Shuttle Columbia colleagues in the lunar far side's Apollo Basin: image credit NASA/GSFC/ASU, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature