Doppler (crater)

Doppler
	Lunar Orbiter 1 image
Coordinates	12°36′S 159°36′W / 12.6°S 159.6°W
Diameter	101.79 km (63.25 mi)
Depth	Unknown
Colongitude	161° at sunrise
Formation	Early Imbrian
Eponym	Christian Doppler

Oblique view of Doppler with Korolev at top, from Apollo 17. *NASA photo.*

Oblique view of Doppler B, from Apollo 8. *NASA photo.*

Doppler is a lunar impact crater that is located at the southern edge of the walled plain called Korolev, on the far side of the Moon.^[3] It lies just to the north of the South Pole-Aitken basin and has modified the basin rim. To the east is the crater Galois. Farther to the southwest of Doppler is Mohorovičić.^[2]

This crater dates to the Early Imbrian period of the lunar geologic timescale.^[2] The rim of Doppler has a somewhat polygonal form, and the smaller satellite crater Doppler B is joined with the inner side of the northeast wall.^[4] The interior of Doppler is rough and irregular, with some terracing of the worn outer walls, and a complex of central hills to the north of the midpoint. A small, crater-formed valley runs to the southeast across the floor of Doppler from the rim of Doppler B.^[5]^: 87

This formation is named after Austrian physicist, mathematician, and astronomer Christian Doppler (1803-1853).^[6] Its designation was formally 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 Doppler.^[7]

Doppler^[5]^: 297	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
B	11.8° S	159.4° W	37 km
M	15.4° S	160.0° W	25 km
N	16.9° S	160.5° E	17 km
W	11.0° S	161.7° W	15 km
X	10.3° S	161.3° W	18 km

References

1 2 "Doppler". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
1 2 3 Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. pp. 53–54, 56, 59. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.
↑ Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.
↑ "LAC 87" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
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): 148. 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 "Doppler". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-26.

[Byrne_2008-2] 1 2 3 Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. pp. 53–54, 56, 59. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.

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

[LAC-87-4] "LAC 87" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-08-26.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-5] 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_et_al_1971-6] 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): 148. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.

[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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