Alfraganus (crater)

Alfraganus
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	5°24′S 19°00′E / 5.4°S 19.0°E
Diameter	20.52 km
Depth	3.8 km
Colongitude	343° at sunrise
Formation	Copernican
Eponym	Alfraganus

Alfraganus is a small, deep lunar impact crater that lies in the rugged highland region to the southwest of the Mare Tranquillitatis.^[4] Northwest of Alfraganus is the crater Delambre, and to the south is the irregular Zöllner.

This impact is dated to the Copernican period, so it is relatively young.^[3] The rim of Alfraganus is circular and retains a sharp edge that has not received a significant amount of wear due to subsequent impacts. The interior floor is roughly half the diameter of the crater rim,^[5]^: 78 with two ridges aligned at right angles to each other. The crater lies at the center of a minor ray system.^[6]

This crater is named after the Muslim astronomer Alfraganus (unknown – c. 840). Its designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[1] The name was introduced into lunar nomenclature by Italian astronomer G. B. Ricciolli in 1651.^[7]

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 Alfraganus.^[8]

Alfraganus^[5]^: 291	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	3.0° S	20.3° E	13 km
C	6.1° S	18.1° E	11 km
D	4.0° S	20.1° E	8 km
E	4.6° S	19.0° E	4 km
F	3.5° S	20.8° E	9 km
G	2.6° S	21.2° E	6 km
H	4.4° S	19.1° E	13 km
K	5.3° S	19.5° E	4 km
M	5.6° S	19.6° E	3 km

Gallery

Oblique view of Alfraganus from Apollo 16 Metric Camera
Oblique view of Alfraganus from Apollo 16 Panoramic Camera

References

1 2 "Alfraganus". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
↑ Pike, R. J. (September 1976). "Crater Dimensions from Apollo Data and Supplemental Sources". The Moon. 15 (3–4): 463–477. Bibcode:1976Moon...15..463P. doi:10.1007/BF00562253.
1 2 Thompson, T. W.; et al. (October 1986). "Lunar and Venusian Radar Bright Rings". Earth, Moon, and Planets. 36 (2): 167–185. Bibcode:1986EM&P...36..167T. doi:10.1007/BF00057609.
↑ Spain, D. (2009). "Alfraganus". The Six-Inch Lunar Atlas. Astronomer's Pocket Field Guide. New York, NY: Springer. pp. 79–82. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-87610-8_19.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 291. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 61, 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.

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

Alfraganus at The Moon Wiki
LTO-78A3 Alfraganus — L&PI topographic map
Wood, Chuck (December 19, 2006). "A Gray Day". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011.

[GPN-1] 1 2 "Alfraganus". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Pike_1976-2] Pike, R. J. (September 1976). "Crater Dimensions from Apollo Data and Supplemental Sources". The Moon. 15 (3–4): 463–477. Bibcode:1976Moon...15..463P. doi:10.1007/BF00562253.

[Thompson_et_al_1986-3] 1 2 Thompson, T. W.; et al. (October 1986). "Lunar and Venusian Radar Bright Rings". Earth, Moon, and Planets. 36 (2): 167–185. Bibcode:1986EM&P...36..167T. doi:10.1007/BF00057609.

[Spain_2009-4] Spain, D. (2009). "Alfraganus". The Six-Inch Lunar Atlas. Astronomer's Pocket Field Guide. New York, NY: Springer. pp. 79–82. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-87610-8_19.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-5] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 291. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

[Wlasuk_2000-6] Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.

[Whitaker_1999-7] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 61, 210. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

[Grego_2015-8] 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.

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