Blanchard (crater)

Blanchard
Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates58°15′S 93°30′W / 58.25°S 93.50°W / -58.25; -93.50
Diameter37.46 km (23.28 mi)[1]
DepthUnknown
Colongitude95° at sunrise
EponymJean P. F. Blanchard

Blanchard is a lunar impact crater that lies on the far side of the Moon, just behind the southwestern limb. It lies within the Mendel-Rydberg Basin, a 630 km wide impact basin of Nectarian age. Blanchard is located to the south-southwest of the crater Arrhenius, and northwest of Pilâtre. Further to the south is the rugged terrain to the north of Hausen, a walled plain.[2]

The rim of Blanchard is worn and rounded, with a slight elongation along a northeastern direction. There is a break in the northwest rim. The two crater formations have nearly merged, and share the same interior floor. The remainder of the rim has several other breaks caused by impacts, particularly along the southeastern rim. The interior floor, although somewhat rough, does not contain a central peak or notable features.[3]

Previously identified as Arrhenius P, a satellite feature of Arrhenius crater, this formation was named after French aeronaut Jean-Pierre Blanchard. Its designation was adopted by the IAU in 1991.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Blancanus". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. ↑ "LAC 135" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
  3. ↑ Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

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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