Barocius (crater)

Barocius
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	44°59′S 16°49′E / 44.98°S 16.81°E
Diameter	82.72 km (51.40 mi)
Depth	3.5 km (2.2 mi)
Colongitude	345° at sunrise
Eponym	Francesco Barozzi

Barocius is an ancient lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. It lies just to the southeast of the large crater Maurolycus. British amateur astronomer Patrick Moore described it as, "50 miles across, whose high walls are broken in the northeast by two considerable craters".^[2] To the southwest of Barocius is Clairaut, and to the south-southeast lies Breislak.^[3]

The rim of Barocius has been worn and eroded by countless subsequent impacts. Of these the most notable is Barocius B which lies across the northeast rim,^[4] and intrudes into Barocius C. There is a remnant of a crater, Barocius W, that lies just inside the southwest interior wall. On the interior floor is a low central peak offset to the north of the floor midpoint.^[5]^[6]^: 113

This crater was named after Italian mathematician Francesco Barozzi (1537-1604). Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[1] The name was introduced into lunar nomenclature by Italian astronomer Giovanni Riccioli 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 Barocius.^[8]

Barocius^[6]^: 292	Coordinates	Diameter
B	44°08′S 18°17′E / 44.13°S 18.29°E / -44.13; 18.29 (Barocius B)	36.6 km
C	43°07′S 17°29′E / 43.11°S 17.48°E / -43.11; 17.48 (Barocius C)	35.8 km
D	46°04′S 19°11′E / 46.06°S 19.18°E / -46.06; 19.18 (Barocius D)	8.7 km
E	47°14′S 22°09′E / 47.24°S 22.15°E / -47.24; 22.15 (Barocius E)	23.6 km
EC	48°13′S 22°29′E / 48.22°S 22.49°E / -48.22; 22.49 (Barocius EC)	7.7 km
F	45°55′S 21°36′E / 45.92°S 21.60°E / -45.92; 21.60 (Barocius F)	15.4 km
G	42°31′S 21°02′E / 42.52°S 21.03°E / -42.52; 21.03 (Barocius G)	27.6 km
H	46°43′S 21°38′E / 46.71°S 21.63°E / -46.71; 21.63 (Barocius H)	10.6 km
J	44°58′S 21°25′E / 44.97°S 21.41°E / -44.97; 21.41 (Barocius J)	27.2 km
K	45°13′S 19°38′E / 45.22°S 19.63°E / -45.22; 19.63 (Barocius K)	13.6 km
L	42°30′S 18°49′E / 42.50°S 18.81°E / -42.50; 18.81 (Barocius L)	13.0 km
M	42°27′S 19°29′E / 42.45°S 19.48°E / -42.45; 19.48 (Barocius M)	15.8 km
N	43°12′S 19°46′E / 43.20°S 19.76°E / -43.20; 19.76 (Barocius N)	10.1 km
O	45°45′S 21°56′E / 45.75°S 21.93°E / -45.75; 21.93 (Barocius O)	5.4 km
R	43°55′S 21°32′E / 43.91°S 21.53°E / -43.91; 21.53 (Barocius R)	14.3 km
S	42°30′S 21°49′E / 42.50°S 21.82°E / -42.50; 21.82 (Barocius S)	8.3 km
W	45°41′S 16°13′E / 45.68°S 16.21°E / -45.68; 16.21 (Barocius W)	18.9 km

The ejecta of Barocius M appears slightly darker than is typical for a lunar highland surface. This may be due to an enhancement of iron oxide (FeO).^[9]

References

1 2 "Barocius". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
↑ "LAC 113" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
↑ Cherrington, Ernest H. (2013). Exploring the Moon Through Binoculars and Small Telescopes. Dover Books on Astronomy. Courier Corporation. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-486-15077-2.
↑ Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 211. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
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. 60, 211. 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. pp. 1858–1859. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328. ISBN 978-1-4614-3133-6.
↑ Hawke, B. Ray; et al. (December 2002). "Igneous activity in the southern highlands of the Moon". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 107 (E12). CiteID 5122. Bibcode:2002JGRE..107.5122H. doi:10.1029/2000JE001494.

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.

External links

Media related to Barocius (crater) at Wikimedia Commons

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

[Moore_2001-2] Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[LAC-113-3] "LAC 113" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-01.

[Cherrington_2013-4] Cherrington, Ernest H. (2013). Exploring the Moon Through Binoculars and Small Telescopes. Dover Books on Astronomy. Courier Corporation. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-486-15077-2.

[Grego_2005-5] Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 211. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-6] 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_1999-7] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 60, 211. 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. pp. 1858–1859. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328. ISBN 978-1-4614-3133-6.

[Hawke_et_al_2002-9] Hawke, B. Ray; et al. (December 2002). "Igneous activity in the southern highlands of the Moon". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 107 (E12). CiteID 5122. Bibcode:2002JGRE..107.5122H. doi:10.1029/2000JE001494.

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