Abenezra (crater)

Abenezra
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image of the craters Abenezra (upper left) and Azophi (lower right)
Coordinates	21°00′S 11°54′E / 21.0°S 11.9°E
Diameter	42 km
Depth	3.7 km
Colongitude	349° at sunrise
Eponym	Abraham ibn Ezra

Oblique photo of Abenezra (right) and Azophi (left) from Apollo 14

Abenezra is a lunar impact crater located in the rugged highlands in the south-central section of the Moon. It is attached along the southeast rim to the crater Azophi, forming a twin pair with a straight wall between them.^[1] To the northeast lies the crater Geber, and further to the southeast is the larger Sacrobosco.

The rim of Abenezra has a noticeably polygonal shape, with uneven wall segments. The inner walls are terraced, and the eastern floor is irregular and ridged. These ridges form unusual, sinuous patterns across the floor. The crater overlays the northeastern third of a ruined ring designated Abenezra C.^[2]^: 96^[3]

Abenezra is named after the Sephardic Jewish sage, poet, biblical commentator, and astronomer Abraham ibn Ezra.^[4] His name was added to the lunar nomenclature by Giovanni Battista Riccioli in 1651.^[5] It was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[4]

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Abenezra.^[6]

Abenezra^[2]^: 291	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	22.8° S	10.5° E	23 km
B	20.8° S	10.1° E	14 km
C	21.3° S	11.1° E	44 km
D	21.7° S	9.7° E	8 km
E	21.4° S	9.4° E	14 km
F	21.5° S	10.3° E	7 km
G	20.5° S	11.0° E	5 km
H	21.1° S	12.8° E	4 km
J	19.9° S	10.7° E	5 km
P	19.9° S	9.9° E	44 km

Abenezra A is a relatively recent impact compared to the ancient highlands in which it lies, with a depth of 3.31 km. It has an elongation of the rim toward the southwest, which may be the result of a low angle impact or an asymmetrical shape of the impacting body. The floor had a peculiar elevation following a north-south direction.^[7]

References

↑ Hill, R. (July 2023). "Straight Walls" (PDF). The Lunar Observer. Lunar Section of the ALPO: 8. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ Wlasuk, Peter T. (2013). Observing the Moon. The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-4471-0483-4.
1 2 "Abenezra". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 60–66, 210. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
↑ Grego, P. (2015). "Satellite Crater". In Hargitai, H.; Kereszturi, Á. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328.
↑ Moutsoulas, M.; Preka, P. (August 1982). "Morphological characteristics of lunar craters with moderate depth/diameter ratio. II (0.12<d/D<0.15)". The Moon and the Planets. 27 (1): 111–130. Bibcode:1982M&P....27..111M. doi:10.1007/BF00941561.

Sources

Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.
Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.

External links

[Hill_2023-1] Hill, R. (July 2023). "Straight Walls" (PDF). The Lunar Observer. Lunar Section of the ALPO: 8. Retrieved 2026-05-06.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-2] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

[Wlasuk_2013-3] Wlasuk, Peter T. (2013). Observing the Moon. The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-4471-0483-4.

[gpn_14-4] 1 2 "Abenezra". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Whitaker_1999-5] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 60–66, 210. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

[Grego_2015-6] Grego, P. (2015). "Satellite Crater". In Hargitai, H.; Kereszturi, Á. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328.

[Moutsoulas_Preka_1982-7] Moutsoulas, M.; Preka, P. (August 1982). "Morphological characteristics of lunar craters with moderate depth/diameter ratio. II (0.12<d/D<0.15)". The Moon and the Planets. 27 (1): 111–130. Bibcode:1982M&P....27..111M. doi:10.1007/BF00941561.

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