Delisle (crater)

Delisle
Apollo 15 image
Coordinates29°54′N 34°36′W / 29.9°N 34.6°W / 29.9; -34.6
Diameter24.83 km (15.43 mi)[1]
Depth2.42 km (1.50 mi)[2]
Colongitude35° at sunrise
FormationEratosthenian[3]
EponymJoseph-Nicolas Delisle
The lunar craters Delisle (above) and Diophantus (below) from Apollo 15. NASA photo.

Delisle is a small lunar impact crater in the western part of the Mare Imbrium. It lies to the north of the crater Diophantus,[4] and just to the northwest of the ridge designated Mons Delisle.[5] Between Delisle and Diophantus is a sinuous rille named Rima Diophantus, with a diameter of 150 km.[6] To the northeast is another rille designated Rima Delisle, named after this crater.[7]

On the lunar geologic timescale, Delisle dates to the Eratosthenian period.[3] It formed in the basaltic lava flows of Mare Imbrium and has not been significantly modified by subsequent processes.[8] The rim of Delisle is somewhat polygonal in form and it has a low central rise on the floor. There is some slight slumping along the inner wall, but overall the rim is still relatively fresh with little appearance of significant wear.[9]: 296  The outer rim is surrounded by a rampart and skirt of hummocky terrain, formed from the impact ejecta.[8]

This formation is named after French astronomer Joseph-Nicolas Delisle (1688-1768).[1] His name was included in the lunar nomenclature of German amateur astronomer Johann H. Schröter as "de l'Isle" in 1791.[10] Its modern designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1] However, some sources continue to use the older name style.[4]

Rima Delisle

This is a sinuous rille centered on selenographic coordinates 30.87° N, 32.35° W. It occupies a maximum diameter of 57.60 km.[7] Three tiny craters in the vicinity of this feature have been assigned names by the IAU. These are listed in the table below.

Crater Longitude Latitude Diameter Name source
Boris 30.6° N 33.5° W 4 km Russian masculine name
Gaston 30.9° N 34.0° W 2 km French masculine name
Linda 30.7° N 33.4° W 1 km Spanish feminine name

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 Delisle.[11]

Delisle[9]: 296  Latitude Longitude Diameter
K 29.0° N 38.4° W 3 km

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Delisle". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  2. ↑ Pike, R. J. (September 1976). "Crater Dimensions from Apollo Data and Supplemental Sources". The Moon. 15 (3–4): 463–477. Bibcode:1976Moon...15..463P. doi:10.1007/BF00562253.
  3. 1 2 Wilhelms, Don E.; McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. (1987). The geologic history of the Moon. USGS Professional Paper 1348. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 253. doi:10.3133/pp1348.
  4. 1 2 Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  5. ↑ Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 161. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
  6. ↑ "LAC 39" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  7. 1 2 "Rima Delisle". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
  8. 1 2 Morrison, R. H.; Oberbeck, V. R. (1978). A composition and thickness model for lunar impact crater and basin deposits. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 9th, Houston, Tex., March 13-17, 1978, Proceedings. Vol. 3. New York: Pergamon Press, Inc. pp. 3763–3785. Bibcode:1978LPSC....9.3763M.
  9. 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  10. ↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. p. 98, 218. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
  11. ↑ 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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