Bessarion (crater)

Bessarion
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Bessarion (center) and Bessarion E (top center)
Coordinates	14°54′N 37°18′W / 14.9°N 37.3°W
Diameter	9.84 km (6.11 mi)
Depth	2.18 km (1.35 mi)
Colongitude	37° at sunrise
Eponym	Bessarion

Bessarion is a lunar impact crater located near the southwest edge of Mare Imbrium, on the Oceanus Procellarum.^[3] Some distance to the east is the crater T. Mayer. Bessarion is a bowl-shaped crater with a low central rise and a higher albedo than the surrounding maria,^[4]^: 57 making it a brighter feature when the sun is overhead.

This crater is named after the learned Greek scholar Bessarion (1403-1472).^[1] The name was incorporated into lunar nomenclature by Italian astronomer Giovanni Riccioli in 1651.^[5] Its designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1935.^[1] Just to the north of Bessarion is a smaller crater Bessarion E that also has a relatively high albedo. This crater is sometimes called Virgil, although this name is not officially recognized by the IAU.^[3]

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 Bessarion.^[6]

Bessarion^[4]^: 293	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	17.1° N	39.8° W	13 km
B	16.8° N	41.7° W	12 km
C	16.0° N	42.6° W	9 km
D	19.8° N	41.7° W	9 km
E	15.4° N	37.3° W	8 km
G	14.9° N	40.3° W	4 km
H	15.3° N	41.4° W	5 km
V	15.0° N	35.0° W	3 km
W	16.7° N	36.9° W	3 km

References

1 2 3 "Bessarion". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
↑ Joshi, Maitri P. (February 2017). "Physical properties of lunar craters". Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 17 (3). id. 24. Bibcode:2017RAA....17...24J. doi:10.1088/1674-4527/17/3/24.
1 2 Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
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. p. 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. 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 "Bessarion". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Joshi_et_al_2017-2] Joshi, Maitri P. (February 2017). "Physical properties of lunar craters". Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 17 (3). id. 24. Bibcode:2017RAA....17...24J. doi:10.1088/1674-4527/17/3/24.

[Moore_2001-3] 1 2 Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[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. p. 60, 211. 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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