Comstock (crater)

Comstock
	Oblique Lunar Orbiter 5 image
Coordinates	21°48′N 121°30′W / 21.8°N 121.5°W
Diameter	73.23 km (45.50 mi)
Depth	Unknown
Colongitude	122° at sunrise
Eponym	George C. Comstock

Comstock is a degraded lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon.^[2] It lies to the northeast of the walled plain Fersman, and north of the crater Weyl.^[3]

This is a heavily eroded crater formation with several smaller craters lying long the rim and inner wall. The largest of these crosses the northern rim and inner wall. A cluster of small craters lie across the south-southwest rim and inner wall. The interior floor is marked by several tiny craterlets, and traces of ray material from the crater Ohm to the east-southeast.^[4]^: 53

This crater is named after American astronomer George C. Comstock (1855–1934).^[5] Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1970.^[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 Comstock.^[6]

Comstock^[4]^: 295	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	24.8° N	121.2° W	21 km
P	20.1° N	122.7° W	26 km

References

1 2 "Comstock". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
↑ Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.
↑ Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.

[GPN-1] 1 2 "Comstock". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-07-10.

[Moore_2000-2] Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.

[Byrne_2008-3] Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-4] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

[Menzel_et_al_1971-5] 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.

[Grego_2015-6] 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.

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