Menelaus (crater)

Menelaus
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	16°16′N 15°56′E / 16.26°N 15.93°E
Diameter	27.13 km (16.86 mi)
Depth	2.6 km (1.6 mi)
Colongitude	344° at sunrise
Eponym	Menelaus of Alexandria

Menelaus (/ˌmɛnɪˈleɪəs/) is a young lunar impact crater located on the southern shore of Mare Serenitatis near the eastern end of the Montes Hæmus mountain range. Its diameter is 27 km.^[1] T. W. Webb described it as "a very steep crater...with a ring very brilliant" at full Moon.^[3] To the southwest is the small crater Auwers, and to the west-southwest is the even smaller Daubrée. To the northeast is a faint rille system named the Rimae Menelaus.

The wall of Menelaus is slightly irregular in outline, with a high, sharp rim and terraced inner walls. The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified along the east and northeast walls.^[4] The interior has a high albedo that is prominent under high sun angles. There are several ridges on the floor. It has a moderate ray system, with the most prominent ray aligned to the north-northeast across the Mare Serenitatis.^[3]^[5]^: 42 The location of this ray and slightly off-center central peak suggest an impact at a relatively low angle.

Menelaus is named after the ancient Greek astronomer Menelaus of Alexandria (c. 70 – 140 CE).^[1] Like many of the craters on the Moon's near side, it was given its name by Giovanni Riccioli, whose 1651 nomenclature system has become standardized.^[6]^: 213 Earlier lunar cartographers had given the feature different names. Michael van Langren's 1645 map calls it "Mariae Imp. Rom." after Maria Anna, the Holy Roman Empress.^[6]^: 198 And Johannes Hevelius called it "Byzantium (urbs)" after the city of Byzantium.^[6]^: 202

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 Menelaus.

Menelaus^[5]^: 306	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	17.1° N	13.4° E	7 km
C	14.8° N	14.5° E	4 km
D	13.2° N	16.3° E	4 km
E	13.6° N	15.9° E	3 km

The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.

Menelaus S - See Daubrée.^[7]

Gallery

Apollo 15 image
Oblique close up of the northwest crater wall, from Apollo 15
Menelaus A crater (lower right), from Apollo 15

References

1 2 3 "Menelaus". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
↑ 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.
1 2 Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. pp. 110, 154–159. Reprint: ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3
↑ Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
1 2 3 Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
↑ Moore, Patrick; Rees, Robin (2014). Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy (2 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-139-49522-6.

Sources

Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
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.

External links

Media related to Menelaus (crater) at Wikimedia Commons
LTO-42D3 Menelaus — L&PI topographic map
Small crater at the Southern Rim of Menelaus - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter page - featuring the photo, an interactive photo and information
Wood, Chuck (September 7, 2004). "Helen's Husband". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
Wood, Chuck (February 19, 2008). "Yes". Lunar Photo of the Day.
Wood, Chuck (March 12, 2008). "Craters, Rings, Spots, and Rays During Full Moon". Lunar Photo of the Day. - includes the crater Menelaus

[gpn-1] 1 2 3 "Menelaus". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Pike_1976-2] 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.

[Webb_1962-3] 1 2 Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. pp. 110, 154–159. Reprint: ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3

[Donaldson_Hanna_et_al_2014-4] Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.

[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.

[Whitaker_1999-6] 1 2 3 Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

[Moore_Rees_2014-7] Moore, Patrick; Rees, Robin (2014). Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy (2 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-139-49522-6.

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