De Vries (crater)

De Vries
	Apollo 17 image
Coordinates	19°54′S 176°42′W / 19.9°S 176.7°W
Diameter	57.51 km (35.74 mi)
Depth	Unknown
Colongitude	177° at sunrise
Formation	Upper Imbrian
Eponym	Hugo de Vries

Oblique view facing southeast towards De Vries, from Apollo 8

De Vries is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon relative to the Earth.^[3] It lies about midway between the craters Racah to the north-northwest and Orlov to the south-southeast.^[4] The walled plain designated Orlov Y lies between De Vries and Orlov, with the perimeter of this feature joining the two rims.^[5]

On the lunar geologic timescale, De Vries dates to the Upper Imbrian period.^[2] This crater is not significantly eroded, although a small crater is attached to the exterior of the northern rim. Within the somewhat interior floor is a broad central rise offset just to the northeast of the midpoint.^[6]^: 104

This formation is named after Dutch botanist Hugo de Vries (1848-1935). 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 De Vries.

De Vries^[6]^: 296	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
D	18.9° S	174.3° W	19 km
N	21.5° S	177.3° W	30 km
R	20.7° S	178.4° W	14 km

References

1 2 "De Vries". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
1 2 Moriarty, D. P.; Pieters, C. M. (March 2018). "The Character of South Pole-Aitken Basin: Patterns of Surface and Subsurface Composition". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 123 (3): 729–747. Bibcode:2018JGRE..123..729M. doi:10.1002/2017JE005364.
↑ 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. 53, 64, 81. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.
↑ "LAC 104" (PDF). Gazeteeer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

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 "De Vries". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-07-31.

[Moriarty_Pieters_2018-2] 1 2 Moriarty, D. P.; Pieters, C. M. (March 2018). "The Character of South Pole-Aitken Basin: Patterns of Surface and Subsurface Composition". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 123 (3): 729–747. Bibcode:2018JGRE..123..729M. doi:10.1002/2017JE005364.

[Moore_2000-3] Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.

[Byrne_2008-4] Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. p. 53, 64, 81. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.

[LAC-104-5] "LAC 104" (PDF). Gazeteeer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-08-01.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-6] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

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