Bandfield (crater)

Bandfield
Apollo 14 image
Coordinates5°24′S 90°46′E / 5.40°S 90.77°E / -5.40; 90.77
Diameter1.0 km (0.62 mi)[1]
Depth0.1 km[2]
FormationCopernican[3]
EponymJoshua Bandfield

Bandfield is a tiny lunar impact crater that is located nearly on the border of the near side and far side of the Moon. It lies close to the west rim of the crater Hirayama, near Hume and Swasey, on the southwest edge of Mare Smythii.[4] Only a kilometer in diameter, this crater has a bright system of rays. Hence it is young, being dated to the Copernican age of the lunar geologic timescale.[3] It is one of over 2,000 lunar cold spots.[4]

The crater's name was approved by the IAU on 8 July 2022. It is named after the American planetary scientist Joshua Bandfield (1974-2019).[1] Bandfield worked on instruments on many spacecraft including OSIRIS-REx, 2001 Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Global Surveyor, and Mars Exploration Rovers.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Bandfield". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. ↑ "LTO-82A4 Hirayama". Lunar Topographic Orthophotomap (LTO) Series. Lunar and Planetary Institute. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  3. 1 2 3 Masursky, Harold; et al. (January 1978). "ch5.2". Apollo over the moon : a view from orbit. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. Bibcode:1978NASSP.362.....M. FIGURE 108 [above].-Another fine example of a small crater with extensive bright rays. It presumably was formed by meteoroid impact. Both light and dark rocks are visible in the walls, indicating that more than one layer of rock was penetrated. Rays formed by secondary craters, blocks, and pulverized ejecta extend more than 13 crater diameters beyond the crater proper. The marked irregularity of the pattern southeast of the crater probably was caused by topographic irregularities that deflected the radially outward movement of the ejecta. Arrows indicate smaller bright- rayed craters.-M.W.
  4. 1 2 "New Lunar Crater Named after Diviner team member Joshua Bandfield". Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment. UCLA. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  5. ↑ "Joshua L. Bandfield, 1974–2019". Space Science Institute. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
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