Abul Wáfa (crater)

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Abul Wáfa
Abul Wafa crater AS16-M-0082.jpg
Apollo 16 Mapping camera image
Coordinates 1°00′N116°36′E / 1.0°N 116.6°E / 1.0; 116.6 Coordinates: 1°00′N116°36′E / 1.0°N 116.6°E / 1.0; 116.6
Diameter 55 km
Depth 2.8 km
Colongitude 244° at sunrise
Eponym Abul Wáfa
Oblique view from Apollo 12 Abul Wafa crater AS12-51-7562.jpg
Oblique view from Apollo 12
Oblique view from Apollo 16 Abul Wafa crater AS16-M-3001 ASU.jpg
Oblique view from Apollo 16

Abul Wafa is an impact crater located near the lunar equator on the far side of the Moon, named after the Persian mathematician and astronomer Abu al-Wafa' Buzjani. [1] To the east are the crater pair Ctesibius and Heron. In the northeast lies the larger crater King, and to the southwest is Vesalius.

Contents

The perimeter of this crater somewhat resembles a rounded diamond shape. The rim and inner walls are rounded from impact erosion, and have lost some definition. There are ledges around most of the inner wall that may have once been terraces or slumped piles of scree.

A small but notable crater lies on the inner surface of the north rim of Abul Wáfa, and there is a small crater formation attached to the exterior southwest wall. The outer rim is relatively free of impacts, and the interior floor is marked only by a few small craterlets.

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 Abul Wáfa.

Abul WáfaLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A1.4° N116.8° E16 km
Q0.2° N115.7° E30 km

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References

  1. "Abul Wáfa". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.