Chaplygin (crater)

Chaplygin
Lunar Orbiter 1 image
Coordinates5°46′S 150°14′E / 5.76°S 150.24°E / -5.76; 150.24
Diameter123.39 km (76.67 mi)[1]
DepthUnknown
Colongitude212° at sunrise
FormationNectarian[2][3]
EponymSergey Chaplygin

Chaplygin is a large lunar impact crater that lies in the highlands on the far side of the Moon.[4] Located within the proposed Chaplygin-Mandel’shtam Basin,[5] it lies to the southeast of a huge walled plain named Mendeleev, about midway between the craters Schliemann to the northeast and Marconi to the southwest.[3] It is about the same size as Albategnius on the near side.[6]

On the lunar geologic timescale, Chaplygin is one of the largest craters of Nectarian age.[2] Its formation occurred in the ferromagnetic ejecta of the South Pole-Aitken basin, but the impact appears to have demagnetized the crater interior. Despite this, the crater shows a similar iron abundance to its surroundings.[7]

The rim of Chaplygin crater is roughly circular, but the edge is uneven. The inner wall is terraced around much of the circumference, and this structure is somewhat disrupted along the southern side. The rim is only mildly eroded, with few craters around the edge — the exception being Chaplygin K which is intruding into the inner wall along the southeast side. Within the walls is an interior plain that is level and smooth in comparison to the rugged terrain that surrounds the exterior of the crater. There is a central peak near the midpoint, and a few tiny craters lie scattered across the surface.[8]: 85 

The crater is named after Soviet mathematician and engineer Sergey Chaplygin (1869–1942).[9] Its designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1970.[1] The crater was identified as Crater 297 prior to naming.[10]

Satellite craters

Satellite features of Chaplygin

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Chaplygin.[11]

Chaplygin[8]: 295  Coordinates Diameter, km
B 4°05′S 151°41′E / 4.08°S 151.69°E / -4.08; 151.69 (Chaplygin B) 1.5
K 7°41′S 151°22′E / 7.68°S 151.36°E / -7.68; 151.36 (Chaplygin K) 20
Q 7°38′S 147°55′E / 7.64°S 147.91°E / -7.64; 147.91 (Chaplygin Q) 13
Y 2°43′S 149°38′E / 2.71°S 149.64°E / -2.71; 149.64 (Chaplygin Y) 28

A small, bright crater named Chaplygin B, lies on the northeastern rim of Chaplygin and displays a ray system.[4] It was nicknamed Chappy by the LROC team.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 "Chaplygin". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. 1 2 Wilhelms, Don E.; McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. (1987). The geologic history of the Moon. USGS Professional Paper 1348. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 180. doi:10.3133/pp1348.
  3. 1 2 Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. p. 27–28. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.
  4. 1 2 Connors, Martin (2024). Invisible Solar System. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-003-84459-4.
  5. ↑ Byrne, C. J. (2013). "The Chaplygin-Mandel'shtam Basin". The Moon's Near Side Megabasin and Far Side Bulge. SpringerBriefs in Astronomy. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-6949-0_8.
  6. ↑ "Albategnius". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Diameter: 130.84 km (81.30 mi).
  7. ↑ Park, Hyeonhu; et al. (November 2024). "Evidence for Magnetized Basin Ejecta on the Moon From Observations and Modeling of Demagnetized Craters". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 129 (11) 2024JE008420. Bibcode:2024JGRE..12908420P. doi:10.1029/2024JE008420.
  8. 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ "Lunar Farside Chart (LFC-1A)". Lunar Farside Chart (LFC-1) Series (2nd ed.). Lunar and Planetary Institute. October 1967. Retrieved 2026-07-02.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ Discussed in two articles:
    • "Chappy". Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
    • "Chappy Oblique". Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
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