Bridgman (crater)

Bridgman
Clementine mosaic
Coordinates43°23′N 136°59′E / 43.39°N 136.98°E / 43.39; 136.98
Diameter81.89 km (50.88 mi)[1]
DepthUnknown
Colongitude223° at sunrise
FormationImbrian[2]
EponymPercy W. Bridgman

Bridgman is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon.[3] It lies in the northern hemisphere, to the northwest of the crater Kurchatov.[4] To the west-southwest is the old formation Becquerel, and eastward are the craters Pawsey and Wiener.

This formation is dated to the Imbrian period of the lunar geologic timescale.[2] The prominent outer wall of Bridgman is only somewhat worn, and retains much of its original detail including traces of terrace structures and slumping. The rim is not quite circular, having a slight polygonal appearance with rounded corners. There is a notable inward bulge of the wall at the south end. The interior floor is generally level, with a central peak formation at the midpoint.[5]: 31  The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified on the crater center and north wall.[6]

This crater is named after American physicist Percy W. Bridgman (1882–1961).[7] Prior to formal naming by the IAU in 1970,[1] Bridgman was called Crater 52.[8]

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 Bridgman.[9]

Bridgman[5]: 294  Latitude Longitude Diameter
C 46.7° N 140.2° E 35 km
E 44.1° N 141.7° E 29 km
F 44.0° N 141.2° E 51 km

References

  1. 1 2 "Bridgman". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. 1 2 Kirchoff, Michelle R.; et al. (July 2013). "Ages of large lunar impact craters and implications for bombardment during the Moon's middle age". Icarus. 225 (1): 325–341. Bibcode:2013Icar..225..325K. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2013.03.018. USGS epoch.
  3. ↑ Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.
  4. ↑ "LAC 31" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-16.
  5. 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  6. ↑ Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.
  7. ↑ Menzel, D. H.; et al. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews. 12 (2): 136–186. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.
  8. ↑ "Lunar Farside Chart (LFC-1A)". Lunar Farside Chart (LFC-1) Series (2nd ed.). Lunar and Planetary Institute. October 1967. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
  9. ↑ 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.
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Bridgman (crater) at Wikimedia Commons
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