Ball (crater)

Ball
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	35°54′S 8°24′W / 35.9°S 8.4°W
Diameter	40.31 km (25.05 mi)
Depth	2.8 km
Colongitude	9° at sunrise
Eponym	William Ball

Ball is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. The formation is circular and symmetrical, and has received little significant wear. Patrick Moore describes it as having "high terraced walls".^[2] The interior is rough-surfaced, curving downward toward the relatively wide central peak at the midpoint.

The crater is situated on the rim of the more sizable Deslandres, to the east of the crater Lexell,^[3] and southwest of Gauricus. To the north is Sasserides, and further to the north-northwest is the prominent ray crater Tycho.^[4]^: 112

This crater was named after British astronomer William Ball (c.1631–1690).^[1] The name was introduced into lunar nomenclature by William R. Birt and John Lee.^[5] Its designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[1]

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 Ball.^[6]

Ball^[4]^: 292	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	34.7° S	9.3° W	29 km
B	36.9° S	9.1° W	10 km
C	37.7° S	8.7° W	31 km
D	35.6° S	10.3° W	21 km
E	36.5° S	8.1° W	5 km
F	36.9° S	8.5° W	12 km
G	37.7° S	10.1° W	28 km

References

1 2 3 "Ball". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
↑ "LAC 112" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 136, 221. 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

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.

[GPN-1] 1 2 3 "Ball". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Moore_1999-2] Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[LAC-112-3] "LAC 112" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-10.

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

[Whitaker_1999-5] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 136, 221. 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.

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