Baillaud (crater)

Baillaud
Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates74°36′N 37°30′E / 74.6°N 37.5°E / 74.6; 37.5
Diameter89.44 km (55.58 mi)[1]
Depth2.0 km (1.2 mi)
Colongitude328° at sunrise
FormationLate Imbrian[2]
EponymBenjamin Baillaud
Location of Baillaud
Oblique view of Baillaud from Lunar Orbiter 4

Baillaud is a lunar impact crater that is located near the north limb of the Moon. Nearby craters include the irregular Meton formation to the southwest,[3] and Petermann further to the east. Due to its location, Baillaud appears oblong because of foreshortening along the line of sight to Earth.[4]

On the lunar geologic timescale, this formation dates to the Late Imbrian period.[2] The rim of the crater has been eroded and worn by a long history of impacts, leaving a hilly ridge surrounding the interior. The crater Euctemon is intruding into the rim to the northwest, and the rim bulges outward to the west. At the south end of the crater is a gap connecting to a mare basalt covered surface to the south.[5]: 4 

The interior of Baillaud has been submerged by past mare basalt flows, leaving a flat, smooth surface[6] that is marked only by many craterlets and the prominent satellite crater Baillaud E in the western half.[7] The crater interior lacks a central peak or significant ridges.[5]: 4 

This crater is named after the French astronomer Benjamin Baillaud (1848-1934). It was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1] The name was introduced into lunar nomenclature by French astronomer Félix Chemla Lamèch.[8]

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 Baillaud.[9]

Baillaud[5]: 292  Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 75.7° N 48.8° E 56 km
B 73.0° N 33.3° E 17 km
C 75.0° N 51.4° E 11 km
D 73.6° N 49.7° E 16 km
E 74.3° N 36.0° E 14 km
F 75.7° N 53.7° E 20 km

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Baillaud". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. 1 2 Cheek, L. C.; et al. (February 2011). "Goldschmidt crater and the Moon's north polar region: Results from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3)". Journal of Geophysical Research. 116 E00G02. Bibcode:2011JGRE..116.0G02C. doi:10.1029/2010JE003702.
  3. ↑ "LAC 4" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
  4. ↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. pp. 171, 173. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  5. 1 2 3 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  6. ↑ Westfall, John E. (2000). Atlas of the Lunar Terminator. Cambridge University Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-521-59002-0.
  7. ↑ Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 134. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
  8. ↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 120, 228. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ "(11764) Benbaillaud". IAU Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2026-05-29.

Sources

  • 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.
  • Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
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Image of the crater http://www.lpod.org/coppermine/displayimage.php?pos=-1571 Archived 2018-05-30 at the Wayback Machine

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