- List of features on the Moon
-
The Moon's surface is covered in many interesting geological features. In addition to mountains, valleys, and craters, the following surface features have received names in the Lunar nomenclature. Many of these features are named after a nearby crater or mountain.
The listed diameter for these features is the longest dimension that contains the entire geological formation. The latitude and longitude are in selenographic coordinates.
Contents
Albedo
These features are notable for their high albedo compared to the surrounding terrain.
Name Coordinates Dia. Name Origin Reiner Gamma 7°30′N 59°00′W / 7.5°N 59.0°W 70.0 km After nearby crater Reiner Note: On the far side of the Moon there are unnamed albedo features on Mare Ingenii and Mare Marginis. These are located antipodal to the Mare Imbrium and Mare Orientale impact basins.
Catena
A catena is a chain of craters.
Name Coordinates Dia. Name Origin Catena Abulfeda 16°54′S 17°12′E / 16.9°S 17.2°E 219 km After nearby crater Abulfeda Catena Artamonov 26°00′N 105°54′E / 26.0°N 105.9°E 134 km After nearby crater Artamonov Catena Brigitte 18°30′N 27°30′E / 18.5°N 27.5°E 5 km French feminine name Catena Davy 11°00′S 7°00′W / 11.0°S 7.0°W 50 km After nearby crater Davy Catena Dziewulski 19°00′N 100°00′E / 19.0°N 100.0°E 80 km After nearby crater Dziewulski Catena Gregory 0°36′S 129°54′E / 0.6°S 129.9°E 152 km After nearby crater Gregory Catena Humboldt 21°30′S 84°36′E / 21.5°S 84.6°E 165 km After nearby crater Humboldt Catena Krafft 15°00′N 72°00′W / 15.0°N 72.0°W 60 km After nearby crater Krafft Catena Kurchatov 37°12′N 136°18′E / 37.2°N 136.3°E 226 km After nearby crater Kurchatov Catena Leuschner 4°42′N 110°06′W / 4.7°N 110.1°W 364 km After nearby crater Leuschner Catena Littrow 22°12′N 29°30′E / 22.2°N 29.5°E 10 km After nearby crater Littrow Catena Lucretius 3°24′S 126°06′W / 3.4°S 126.1°W 271 km After nearby crater Lucretius Catena Mendeleev 6°18′N 139°24′E / 6.3°N 139.4°E 188 km After nearby crater Mendeleev Catena Michelson 1°24′N 113°24′W / 1.4°N 113.4°W 456 km After nearby crater Michelson Catena Pierre 19°48′N 31°48′W / 19.8°N 31.8°W 9 km French masculine name Catena Sumner 37°18′N 112°18′E / 37.3°N 112.3°E 247 km After nearby crater Sumner Catena Sylvester 81°24′N 86°12′E / 81.4°N 86.2°E 173 km After nearby crater Sylvester Catena Taruntius 3°00′N 48°00′E / 3.0°N 48.0°E 100 km After nearby crater Taruntius Catena Timocharis 29°00′N 13°00′W / 29.0°N 13.0°W 50 km After nearby crater Timocharis Catena Yuri 24°24′N 30°24′W / 24.4°N 30.4°W 5 km Russian masculine name Dorsa
These features are wrinkle-ridge systems commonly found on lunar maria.
Dorsum
These features are wrinkle ridges commonly found on lunar mare
Promontorium
These features form a cape or headland on a mare.
Name Coordinates Dia. Name Origin Promontorium Agarum 14°00′N 66°00′E / 14.0°N 66.0°E 70 km Named from a cape in the Sea of Azov Promontorium Agassiz 42°00′N 1°48′E / 42.0°N 1.8°E 20 km Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz (1807–1873) Promontorium Archerusia 16°42′N 22°00′E / 16.7°N 22.0°E 10 km Named from a cape on the Black Sea Promontorium Deville 43°12′N 1°00′E / 43.2°N 1.0°E 20 km Charles Joseph Sainte-Claire Deville (1814–1876) Promontorium Fresnel 29°00′N 4°42′E / 29.0°N 4.7°E 20 km Augustin Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) Promontorium Heraclides 40°18′N 33°12′W / 40.3°N 33.2°W 50 km Heraclides Ponticus Promontorium Kelvin 27°00′S 33°00′W / 27.0°S 33.0°W 50 km William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin (1824–1907) Promontorium Laplace 46°00′N 25°48′W / 46.0°N 25.8°W 50 km Pierre Simon Laplace (1749–1827) Promontorium Taenarium 19°00′S 8°00′W / 19.0°S 8.0°W 70 km Named from cape in Greece[1] Rima
These features are lunar rilles.
Name Coordinates Dia. Name Origin Rima Agatharchides 20°00′S 28°00′W / 20.0°S 28.0°W 50 km Named from nearby crater Agatharchides Rima Agricola 29°00′N 53°00′W / 29.0°N 53.0°W 110 km Named from nearby Montes Agricola Rima Archytas 53°00′S 3°00′E / 53.0°S 3.0°E 90 km Named from nearby crater Archytas Rima Ariadaeus 6°24′N 14°00′E / 6.4°N 14.0°E 250 km Named from nearby crater Ariadaeus Rima Billy 15°00′S 48°00′W / 15.0°S 48.0°W 70 km Named from nearby crater Billy Rima Birt 21°00′S 9°00′W / 21.0°S 9.0°W 50 km Named from nearby crater Birt Rima Bradley 23°48′N 1°12′W / 23.8°N 1.2°W 161 km Named from nearby Mons Bradley Rima Brayley 21°24′N 37°30′W / 21.4°N 37.5°W 311 km Named from nearby crater Brayley Rima Calippus 37°00′N 13°00′E / 37.0°N 13.0°E 40 km Named from nearby crater Calippus Rima Cardanus 11°24′N 71°30′E / 11.4°N 71.5°E 175 km Named from nearby crater Cardanus Rima Carmen 19°48′N 29°18′E / 19.8°N 29.3°E 10 km Spanish feminine name Rima Cauchy 10°30′N 38°00′E / 10.5°N 38.0°E 140 km Named from nearby crater Cauchy Rima Cleomedes 27°00′N 57°00′E / 27.0°N 57.0°E 80 km Within crater Cleomedes Rima Cleopatra 30°00′N 53°48′W / 30.0°N 53.8°W 14 km Greek feminine name Rima Conon 18°36′N 2°00′E / 18.6°N 2.0°E 30 km Named from nearby crater Conon Rima Dawes 17°30′N 26°36′E / 17.5°N 26.6°E 15 km Named from nearby crater Dawes Rima Delisle 31°00′N 32°00′W / 31.0°N 32.0°W 60 km Named from nearby crater Delisle Rima Diophantus 29°00′N 33°00′W / 29.0°N 33.0°W 150 km Named from nearby crater Diophantus Rima Draper 18°00′N 25°00′W / 18.0°N 25.0°W 160 km Named from nearby crater Draper Rima Euler 21°00′N 31°00′W / 21.0°N 31.0°W 90 km Named from nearby crater Euler Rima Flammarion 2°48′S 5°36′W / 2.8°S 5.6°W 80 km Named from nearby crater Flammarion Rima Furnerius 35°00′S 61°00′E / 35.0°S 61.0°E 50 km Within crater Furnerius Rima G. Bond 33°18′N 35°30′E / 33.3°N 35.5°E 168 km Named from nearby crater G. Bond Rima Galilaei 11°54′N 58°30′W / 11.9°N 58.5°W 89 km Named from nearby crater Galilaei Rima Gärtner 59°00′N 63°00′E / 59.0°N 63.0°E 30 km Within crater Gärtner Rima Gay-Lussac 13°00′N 22°00′W / 13.0°N 22.0°W 40 km Named from nearby crater Gay-Lussac Rima Hadley 25°00′N 3°00′E / 25.0°N 3.0°E 80 km Named from nearby Mons Hadley Rima Hansteen 12°00′S 53°00′W / 12.0°S 53.0°W 25 km Named from nearby crater Hansteen Rima Hesiodus 30°00′S 20°00′W / 30.0°S 20.0°W 256 km Named from nearby crater Hesiodus Rima Hyginus 7°24′N 7°48′E / 7.4°N 7.8°E 219 km Named from nearby crater Hyginus Rima Jansen 14°30′N 29°00′E / 14.5°N 29.0°E 35 km Named from nearby crater Jansen Rima Krieger 29°00′N 45°36′W / 29.0°N 45.6°W 22 km Named from nearby crater Krieger Rima Mairan 38°00′N 47°00′W / 38.0°N 47.0°W 90 km Named from nearby crater Mairan Rima Marcello 18°36′N 27°42′E / 18.6°N 27.7°E 2 km Italian masculine name Rima Marius 16°30′N 48°54′W / 16.5°N 48.9°W 121 km Named from nearby crater Marius Rima Messier 1°00′S 45°00′E / 1.0°S 45.0°E 100 km Named from nearby crater Messier Rima Milichius 8°00′N 33°00′W / 8.0°N 33.0°W 100 km Named from nearby crater Milichius Rima Oppolzer 1°42′S 1°00′E / 1.7°S 1.0°E 94 km Named from nearby crater Oppolzer Rima Réaumur 3°00′S 3°00′E / 3.0°S 3.0°E 30 km Named from nearby crater Réaumur Rima Reiko 18°36′N 27°42′E / 18.6°N 27.7°E 2 km Japanese feminine name Rima Rudolf 19°36′N 29°36′E / 19.6°N 29.6°E 8 km German masculine name Rima Schröter 1°00′N 6°00′W / 1.0°N 6.0°W 40 km Named from nearby crater Schröter Rima Sharp 46°42′N 50°30′W / 46.7°N 50.5°W 107 km Named from nearby crater Sharp Rima Sheepshanks 58°00′N 24°00′E / 58.0°N 24.0°E 200 km Named from nearby crater Sheepshanks Rima Siegfried 25°54′S 103°00′E / 25.9°S 103.0°E 14 km German masculine name Rima Suess 6°42′N 48°12′E / 6.7°N 48.2°E 165 km Named from nearby crater Suess Rima Sung-Mei 24°36′N 11°18′E / 24.6°N 11.3°E 4 km Chinese feminine name Rima T. Mayer 13°00′N 31°00′W / 13.0°N 31.0°W 50 km Named from nearby crater T. Mayer Rima Vladimir 25°12′N 0°42′W / 25.2°N 0.7°W 14 km Slavic masculine name Rima Wan-Yu 20°00′N 31°30′W / 20.0°N 31.5°W 12 km Chinese feminine name Rima Yangel' 16°42′N 4°36′E / 16.7°N 4.6°E 30 km Named from nearby crater Yangel' Rima Zahia 25°00′N 29°30′W / 25.0°N 29.5°W 16 km Arabic feminine name Rimae
These features are lunar rille systems.
Name Coordinates Dia. Name Origin Rimae Alphonsus 14°00′S 2°00′W / 14.0°S 2.0°W 80 km Within crater Alphonsus Rimae Apollonius 5°00′N 53°00′E / 5.0°N 53.0°E 230 km Named from nearby crater Apollonius Rimae Archimedes 26°36′N 4°06′W / 26.6°N 4.1°W 169 km Named from nearby crater Archimedes Rimae Aristarchus 26°54′N 47°30′W / 26.9°N 47.5°W 121 km Named from nearby crater Aristarchus Rimae Arzachel 18°00′S 2°00′W / 18.0°S 2.0°W 50 km Within crater Arzachel Rimae Atlas 47°30′N 43°36′E / 47.5°N 43.6°E 60 km Within crater Atlas Rimae Bode 10°00′N 4°00′W / 10.0°N 4.0°W 70 km Named from nearby crater Bode Rimae Boscovich 9°48′N 11°06′E / 9.8°N 11.1°E 40 km Within crater Boscovich Rimae Chacornac 29°00′N 32°00′E / 29.0°N 32.0°E 120 km Named from nearby crater Chacornac Rimae Daniell 37°00′N 26°00′E / 37.0°N 26.0°E 200 km Named from nearby crater Daniell Rimae Darwin 19°18′S 69°30′W / 19.3°S 69.5°W 143 km Named from nearby crater Darwin Rimae Doppelmayer 25°54′S 45°06′W / 25.9°S 45.1°W 162 km Named from nearby crater Doppelmayer Rimae Focas 28°00′S 98°00′W / 28.0°S 98.0°W 100 km Named from nearby crater Focas Rimae Fresnel 28°00′N 4°00′E / 28.0°N 4.0°E 90 km Named from nearby Promontorium Fresnel Rimae de Gasparis 24°36′S 51°06′W / 24.6°S 51.1°W 93 km Named from nearby crater de Gasparis Rimae Gassendi 18°00′S 40°00′W / 18.0°S 40.0°W 70 km Within crater Gassendi Rimae Gerard 46°00′N 84°00′W / 46.0°N 84.0°W 100 km Named from nearby crater Gerard Rimae Goclenius 8°00′S 43°00′E / 8.0°S 43.0°E 240 km Named from nearby crater Goclenius Rimae Grimaldi 9°00′N 64°00′W / 9.0°N 64.0°W 230 km Named from nearby crater Grimaldi Rimae Hypatia 0°24′S 22°24′E / 0.4°S 22.4°E 206 km Named from nearby crater Hypatia Rimae Janssen 45°36′S 40°00′E / 45.6°S 40.0°E 114 km Named from nearby crater Janssen Rimae Kopff 17°24′S 89°36′W / 17.4°S 89.6°W 41 km Named from nearby crater Kopff Rimae Liebig 20°00′S 45°00′W / 20.0°S 45.0°W 140 km Named from nearby crater Liebig Rimae Littrow 22°06′N 29°54′E / 22.1°N 29.9°E 115 km Named from nearby crater Littrow Rimae Maclear 13°00′S 20°00′E / 13.0°S 20.0°E 110 km Named from nearby crater Maclear Rimae Maestlin 2°00′N 40°00′W / 2.0°N 40.0°W 80 km Named from nearby crater Maestlin Rimae Maupertuis 52°00′N 23°00′W / 52.0°N 23.0°W 84 km Named from nearby crater Maupertuis Rimae Menelaus 17°12′N 17°54′E / 17.2°N 17.9°E 131 km Named from nearby crater Menelaus Rimae Mersenius 21°30′S 49°12′W / 21.5°S 49.2°W 84 km Named from nearby crater Mersenius Rimae Opelt 13°00′S 18°00′W / 13.0°S 18.0°W 70 km Named from nearby crater Opelt Rimae Palmieri 28°00′S 47°00′W / 28.0°S 47.0°W 150 km Named from nearby crater Palmieri Rimae Parry 6°06′S 16°48′W / 6.1°S 16.8°W 82 km Named from nearby crater Parry Rimae Petavius 25°54′S 58°54′E / 25.9°S 58.9°E 80 km Named from nearby crater Petavius Rimae Pettit 23°00′S 92°00′W / 23.0°S 92.0°W 450 km Named from nearby crater Pettit Rimae Pitatus 28°30′S 13°48′W / 28.5°S 13.8°W 94 km Named from nearby crater Pitatus Rimae Plato 52°54′N 3°12′W / 52.9°N 3.2°W 87 km Named from nearby crater Plato Rimae Plinius 17°54′N 23°36′E / 17.9°N 23.6°E 124 km Named from nearby crater Plinius Rimae Posidonius 32°00′N 28°42′E / 32.0°N 28.7°E 70 km Named from nearby crater Posidonius Rimae Prinz 27°00′N 43°00′W / 27.0°N 43.0°W 80 km Named from nearby crater Prinz Rimae Ramsden 33°54′S 31°24′W / 33.9°S 31.4°W 108 km Named from nearby crater Ramsden Rimae Repsold 50°36′N 81°42′W / 50.6°N 81.7°W 166 km Named from nearby crater Repsold Rimae Riccioli 2°00′N 74°00′W / 2.0°N 74.0°W 400 km Named from nearby crater Riccioli Rimae Ritter 3°00′N 18°00′W / 3.0°N 18.0°W 100 km Named from nearby crater Ritter Rimae Römer 27°00′N 35°00′W / 27.0°N 35.0°W 110 km Named from nearby crater Römer Rimae Secchi 1°00′N 44°00′W / 1.0°N 44.0°W 35 km Named from nearby crater Secchi Rimae Sirsalis 15°42′S 61°42′W / 15.7°S 61.7°W 426 km Named from nearby crater Sirsalis Rimae Sosigenes 8°36′N 18°42′E / 8.6°N 18.7°E 190 km Named from nearby crater Sosigenes Rimae Sulpicius Gallus 21°00′N 10°00′E / 21.0°N 10.0°E 90 km Named from nearby crater Sulpicius Gallus Rimae Taruntius 5°30′N 46°30′E / 5.5°N 46.5°E 25 km Named from nearby crater Taruntius Rimae Theaetetus 33°00′N 6°00′E / 33.0°N 6.0°E 50 km Named from nearby crater Theaetetus Rimae Triesnecker 4°18′N 4°36′E / 4.3°N 4.6°E 215 km Named from nearby crater Triesnecker Rimae Vasco da Gama 10°00′N 82°00′E / 10.0°N 82.0°E 60 km Named from nearby crater Vasco da Gama Rimae Zupus 15°00′S 53°00′W / 15.0°S 53.0°W 120 km Named from nearby crater Zupus Rupes
These are escarpments in the surface.
Name Coordinates Dia. Name Origin Rupes Altai 24°18′S 22°36′E / 24.3°S 22.6°E 427.0 km Altai Mountains Rupes Boris 30°30′N 33°30′W / 30.5°N 33.5°W 4.0 km Named from nearby crater Boris Rupes Cauchy 9°00′N 37°00′E / 9.0°N 37.0°E 120.0 km Named from nearby crater Cauchy Rupes Kelvin 27°18′S 33°06′W / 27.3°S 33.1°W 78.0 km Named from nearby Promontorium Kelvin Rupes Liebig 25°00′S 46°00′W / 25.0°S 46.0°W 180.0 km Named from nearby crater Liebig Rupes Mercator 31°00′S 22°18′W / 31.0°S 22.3°W 93.0 km Named from nearby crater Mercator Rupes Recta 22°06′S 7°48′W / 22.1°S 7.8°W 134.0 km Latin for "straight cliff"[2] Rupes Toscanelli 27°24′N 47°30′W / 27.4°N 47.5°W 70.0 km Named from nearby crater Toscanelli Terra
The continental areas between the seas were given comparable names by Giovanni Battista Riccioli,[3] but were opposite the names used for the seas. Thus there were the lands of sterility (Terra Sterilitatis), heat (Terra Caloris), and liveliness (Terra Vitae). However these names for the highland regions are no longer used on recent maps, and Terrae are not officially recognized as standard lunar nomenclature by the International Astronomical Union.[4]
Name Name Origin Near side position Insula Ventorum Island of Winds Peninsula Fulminu Peninsula of Thunder Between Mare Humorum and Oceanus Procellarum.[5] Terra Caloris Land of Heat Southwest rim of the near side.[5] Terra Fertilitatis Land of Fertility Southeastern rim of the near side.[5] Terra Grandinis Land of Hail Northeast border of Mare Imbrium.[5] Terra Manna Land of Manna Region between Mare Tranquillitatis, Mare Fecunditatis and Mare Nectaris.[5] Terra Niuiu (Terra Nivium) Land of Snows Southeast border of Mare Imbrium.[5] Terra Pruinæ Land of Frost Northwest border of Mare Imbrium.[5] Terra Sanitatis Land of Healthiness Central region between Mare Nubium and Mare Tranquillitatis.[5] Terra Siccitatis Land of Dryness Northwest rim of the near side.[5] Terra Sterilitatis Land of Sterility Terra Vigoris Land of Cheerfulness Region southeast of Mare Crisium.[5] Terra Vitæ Land of Liveliness Northeast rim of the near side.[5] See also
- List of craters on the Moon
- List of maria on the Moon
- List of mountains on the Moon
- List of valleys on the Moon
Notes and references
- ^ Now Matapan or Tainaron
- ^ Traditionally called the "Straight Wall".
- ^ Wood, Chuck (April 18, 2006). "Restoring Bright Names". LPOD lunar photo of the day. http://www.lpod.org/?m=20060418. Retrieved 2006-12-02.
- ^ Blue, Jennifer (October 16, 2006). "Categories for Naming Features on Planets and Satellites.". USGS. http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/append6.html. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wood, Chuck (2006-07-13). "Restoring bright names". LPOD. http://www.lpod.org/?m=20060418. Retrieved 2007-07-05.
External links
Categories:- Geological features on the Moon
- Surface features of bodies of the Solar System
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