Pallas (crater)

lunar crater data
latitude=5.5
N_or_S=S
longitude=1.6
E_or_W=W
diameter=50 km
depth=1.3 km
colong=2
eponym=Peter S. Pallas

Pallas is a heavily-eroded lunar crater located to the north of the Sinus Medii. To the northwest is the smaller but less worn Bode crater. Pallas shares a low wall with the Murchison crater that is attached to the southeast, and there are a pair of gaps in the shared rim.

The outer wall of Pallas is worn, notched, and somewhat distorted in shape. The associated crater 'Pallas A' lies across the northwest rim. The inner floor of Pallas crater has been flooded by lava, leaving a relatively flat surface. The crater possesses a central peak complex.

Lunar flare

On November 15, 1953, the physician and amateur astronomer Dr. Leon H. Stuart took a picture of the Moon that appeared to show a flare of light about 16 km southeast of Pallas crater. The flare was estimated to last for about 8-10 seconds. The report was published in a 1956 issue of "The Strolling Astronomer", a newsletter. However the incident was dismissed by professionals of the period as more likely a meteoroid entering the Earth's atmosphere.

Many years later Dr. Bonnie Buratti of JPL saw the photograph and decided to investigate. Assisted by a graduate student, she identified a 1.5 km. diameter crater imaged by the Clementine spacecraft. The crater has the correct size, shape, and albedo to match the expected impact energy. Some astronomers now agree that Dr. Stuart may indeed have photographed an asteroid impact on the Moon. [Buratti, B. J. & L. L. Johnson, 2003, "Identification of the lunar flash of 1953 with a fresh crater on the Moon's surface", "Icarus" 161, 192-197.]

atellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Pallas crater.

References

Notes