Bessarion (crater)

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Bessarion
Bessarion crater 4138 h2 -671618083.jpg
Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Bessarion (center) and Bessarion E (top center)
Coordinates 14°54′N37°18′W / 14.9°N 37.3°W / 14.9; -37.3 Coordinates: 14°54′N37°18′W / 14.9°N 37.3°W / 14.9; -37.3
Diameter 10.2 km
Depth 2.0 km
Colongitude 37° at sunrise
Eponym Bessarion
The crater area in a Selenochromatic Image (Si) Area del cratere Kepler.jpg
The crater area in a Selenochromatic Image (Si)
Oblique view from Apollo 15 Bessarion crater AS15-M-2604.jpg
Oblique view from Apollo 15

Bessarion is a lunar impact crater located near the southwest edge of Mare Imbrium. It is named after Greek scholar Bessarion. [1] Some distance to the east is the crater T. Mayer. Bessarion is a bowl-shaped crater with a low central rise and a higher albedo than the maria, making it a brighter feature when the sun is overhead.

Just to the north of Bessarion is a smaller crater Bessarion E that also has a relatively high albedo. This crater is sometimes called Virgil, although this name is not officially recognized by the IAU.

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 Bessarion.

BessarionLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A17.1° N39.8° W13 km
B16.8° N41.7° W12 km
C16.0° N42.6° W9 km
D19.8° N41.7° W9 km
E15.4° N37.3° W8 km
G14.9° N40.3° W4 km
H15.3° N41.4° W5 km
V15.0° N35.0° W3 km
W16.7° N36.9° W3 km

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References

  1. "Bessarion (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.