Challis (crater)

Challis
Lunar Orbiter 4 image (Main above center, Challis below center)
Coordinates79°30′N 9°12′E / 79.5°N 9.2°E / 79.5; 9.2
Diameter53.21 km (33.06 mi)[1]
Depth1.67 km (1.04 mi)[2]
Colongitude355° at sunrise
EponymJames Challis
Location of the crater Challis

Challis is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northern regions of the Moon's near side,[3] close enough to the limb to appear significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth.[4] It is joined to the crater Main through a break in the northern rim, and is close to Scoresby along the southeast side.[5]

The rim of this crater has been damaged and eroded by a history of impacts, with the most intact portion located along the southeastern half. A small crater lies across the southern rim, and the remaining rim is notched and irregular. The interior floor of both Challis and Main have been resurfaced forming a relatively level bottom common to both formations. This surface is marked only by multiple tiny craterlets.[6]: 3 

This formation is named after British astronomer, mathematician, and physicist James Challis (1803-1882).[1] His name was incorporated into lunar nomenclature by William R. Birt and John Lee during the 19th century.[7] Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1]

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 Challis.[8]

Challis[6]: 295  Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 77.2° N 2.3° E 32 km

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Challis". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  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.
  3. ↑ Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 134. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
  4. ↑ Whitaker, E. A.; et al. (1963). Rectified Lunar Atlas: Supplement No. 2 to the Photographic Lunar Atlas. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Retrieved 2026-06-01. See Field 2.
  5. ↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  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.
  7. ↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 136, 221. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
  8. ↑ 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.
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