Clairaut (crater)

Clairaut
Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates47°42′S 13°54′E / 47.7°S 13.9°E / -47.7; 13.9
Diameter75 km
Depth2.7 km
Colongitude348° at sunrise
EponymAlexis C. Clairaut

Clairaut is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon's near side. It is readily identified by a pair of craters on its interior floor.[1] Clairaut lies directly to the south of the crater Maurolycus and southeast of Barocius. Just to the southwest is Cuvier.[2]

This crater has been eroded and damaged by subsequent impacts, particularly in the southern half of the formation. The satellite crater Clairaut A lies across the southeastern rim. The southern rim has been modified by several small craters, including Clairaut B. On the southeastern interior floor is the small crater Clairaut C. In the northern part of the floor is a merged crater pair Clairaut D. Clairaut E is attached to the exterior of the northwest rim.[3]: 113 

The inner wall of Clairaut has been softened by impacts until now it forms a simple slope down to the relatively flat floor, at least where the floor has not been marked by impacts. There is a minor inward bulge along the inner wall to the west-northwest.

Thus formation is named after French mathematician Alexis C. Clairaut (1713-1765). His name was introduced with the lunar nomenclature of German astronomer Johann H. von Mädler in 1837.[4] Its designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[5]

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 Clairaut.[6]

Clairaut[3]: 295  Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 48.9° S 14.8° E 36 km
B 48.3° S 12.6° E 43 km
C 48.1° S 13.5° E 17 km
D 47.3° S 14.2° E 12 km
E 46.4° S 12.6° E 29 km
F 46.0° S 14.5° E 23 km
G 47.2° S 11.7° E 6 km
H 48.9° S 12.1° E 9 km
J 45.7° S 12.7° E 14 km
K 49.7° S 14.0° E 12 km
M 46.1° S 13.8° E 5 km
P 49.0° S 11.8° E 9 km
R 48.0° S 15.9° E 15 km
S 47.5° S 16.3° E 22 km

References

  1. ↑ Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 212. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
  2. ↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  3. 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  4. ↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 120, 220. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
  5. ↑ "Clairaut". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2025-03-07.
  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.
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