Cysatus (crater)

Cysatus
Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates66°12′S 6°06′W / 66.2°S 6.1°W / -66.2; -6.1
Diameter47.77 km (29.68 mi)[1]
Depth4.20 km (2.61 mi)[2]
Colongitude7° at sunrise
EponymJean-Baptiste Cysat

Cysatus is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southern part of the Moon's near side. It has a diameter at the rim of 48 km[1] and a depth of 4.2 km.[2] This feature is joined to the northeastern rim of the larger crater Gruemberger, and intrudes slightly into the interior of that formation. Due south is the larger Moretus,[3] and to the east is Curtius. These craters appear foreshortened when observed from Earth because of their far south location,[4] making them more difficult to observe.[5]

This circular crater is slightly unusual for its lack of interesting features. No notable craters lie along its rim or the flat, level interior. The inner walls are devoid of terraces and just slope down to the flat floor, although the width of the inner wall is narrower to the northeast than elsewhere.[6]: 137 

This formation is named after Swiss mathematician and astronomer Jean-Baptiste Cysat (1588-1657).[1] His name was included as 'Cystatus Soc I.' in the lunar nomenclature of Italian astronomer Giovanni B. Riccioli in 1651.[7] Its modern designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1]

Satellite craters

Neighborhood of Cysatus showing satellite features

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Cysatus.[8]

Cysatus[6]: 296  Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 64.2° S 0.8° W 14 km
B 65.7° S 1.8° W 8 km
C 63.8° S 0.6° E 27 km
D 65.0° S 6.0° W 5 km
E 66.7° S 1.3° W 48 km
F 63.9° S 3.5° W 5 km
G 65.8° S 0.3° W 6 km
H 66.8° S 0.0° E 8 km
J 63.0° S 0.8° E 10 km

The satellite feature A includes a permanently shadowed region where the sunlight never reaches.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Cysatus". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-07-19.
  2. 1 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. ↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  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 29.
  5. ↑ Jones, Brian (2024). Who's Who In The Moon: From Abbot to Zupus A Guide To The Moon And The People On It. White Owl. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-5267-3710-6.
  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. p. 60, 211. 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.
  9. ↑ McGovern, J. Andrew; et al. (March 2013). "Mapping and characterization of non-polar permanent shadows on the lunar surface". Icarus. 223 (1): 566–581. Bibcode:2013Icar..223..566M. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.10.018.

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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