Delambre (crater)

Delambre
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	1°54′S 17°30′E / 1.9°S 17.5°E
Diameter	51.49 km (31.99 mi)
Depth	3.01 km (1.87 mi)
Colongitude	342° at sunrise
Eponym	Jean B. J. Delambre

Interior from Lunar Orbiter 3 (streak is blemish on original)

Delambre is a lunar impact crater that lies to the southwest of Mare Tranquillitatis, in the central highland region.^[3] It is 51^[1] kilometers in diameter and 3^[2] kilometers deep. To the west is the crater pair of Theon Junior and Theon Senior, the latter being more distant and located to the northwest.^[4]

The rim of Delambre has a terraced interior,^[5] with a tiny craterlet lying along the northern rim. In the south is a low cut forming a slight notch. The crater interior has an irregular surface.^[6]^: 78 It has high walls, with some peaks reaching 15,000 feet. Delambre was photographed by the uncrewed probe Ranger 8 on its descent towards Mare Tranquillitatis.^[3] Delambre is from the Upper Imbrian epoch, which lasted from 3.8 to 3.2 billion years ago.

This formation was named for the French astronomer Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre (1749-1822). Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[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 Delambre.^[7]

Delambre^[6]^: 296	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
B	1.7° S	19.6° E	10 km
D	1.1° S	17.6° E	5 km
F	1.0° S	19.3° E	5 km
H	1.0° S	16.4° E	16 km
J	0.3° S	16.8° E	12 km

References

1 2 3 "Delambre". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
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.
1 2 Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
↑ "LAC 78" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
↑ Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 204. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ 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.

External links

Delambre at The Moon Wiki
Wood, Chuck (January 25, 2006). "Subtle Lineations". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
Wood, Chuck (December 19, 2006). "A Gray Day". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2011-06-14.

[GPN-1] 1 2 3 "Delambre". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-04.

[Joshi_et_al_2017-2] 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.

[Moore_2001-3] 1 2 Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[LAC-78-4] "LAC 78" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-08-04.

[Grego_2005-5] Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 204. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.

[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.

[Grego_2015-7] 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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