![]() | |
Coordinates | 5°54′S179°24′E / 5.9°S 179.4°E Coordinates: 5°54′S179°24′E / 5.9°S 179.4°E |
---|---|
Diameter | 93 km |
Depth | 3.0 km |
Colongitude | 181° at sunrise |
Eponym | Daedalus |
Daedalus is a prominent crater located near the center of the far side of the Moon. The inner wall is terraced, and there is a cluster of central peaks on the relatively flat floor. Because of its location (shielded from radio emissions from the Earth), it has been proposed as the site of a future giant radio telescope, which would be scooped out of the crater itself, much like the Arecibo radio telescope, but on a vastly larger scale.
The crater is named after Daedalus of Greek myth. It is pictured in famous photographs taken by the Apollo 11 astronauts. In contemporary sources it was called Crater 308 (this was a temporary IAU designation that preceded the establishment of far-side lunar nomenclature). [1]
Nearby craters of note include Icarus to the east and Racah to the south. Less than a crater diameter to the north-northeast is Lipskiy.
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Daedalus.
Daedalus | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
B | 4.1° S | 179.8° W | 23 km |
C | 4.1° S | 178.9° W | 68 km |
G | 6.6° S | 177.4° W | 33 km |
K | 8.3° S | 178.5° W | 24 km |
M | 8.1° S | 179.5° E | 13 km |
R | 7.7° S | 175.2° E | 41 km |
S | 6.8° S | 172.9° E | 20 km |
U | 4.2° S | 174.9° E | 30 km |
W | 3.5° S | 177.5° E | 70 km |
Bingham is a small lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, relative to the Earth. It is named after the American academic, explorer and politician Hiram Bingham III. It lies just to the southeast of the much larger crater Lobachevskiy, and the northwestern part of the rim of Bingham is partly overlaid by ejecta from Lobachevsky. To the northeast of Bingham is the crater Guyot, and about a crater diameter to the south-southeast is Katchalsky. This is a roughly circular crater formation with a slight outward bulge along the southeastern side.
Alhazen is a lunar impact crater that lies near the eastern limb of the Moon's near side. Just to the south-southeast is the crater Hansen, and to the west is the Mare Crisium. The rim of Alhazen is nearly circular, but appears highly oblong when viewed from the Earth due to foreshortening. The inner walls and the crater floor are rugged and irregular. A low ridge joins the south rim of Alhazen with the nearby Hansen. The crater is named after the Arab Muslim scientist, Ibn al-Haytham.
Ashbrook is a large lunar impact crater that is located in the vicinity of the south pole on the far side of the Moon, and so cannot be viewed directly from the Earth. The eastern face of the crater has been overlain by the similar-sized Drygalski, and more than half the interior floor of Ashbrook is covered by the outer ramparts and ejecta of Drygalski. To the northwest is the walled plain Zeeman.
Boss is a lunar impact crater that is located along the northeast rim of the Moon's near side. Due to its location, the crater is viewed from the side by observers on the Earth, and its visibility is subject to libration effects.
Bjerknes is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southern hemisphere on the rugged far side of the Moon. The crater lies behind the southeastern limb, and beyond the region that is sometimes brought into sight through libration. Thus this crater can not be viewed from Earth, and has only been seen from orbit. Nearby named craters are Clark to the east, and Pogson to the south-southwest.
Cusanus is a lunar impact crater that is located near the northeastern limb of the Moon. In this location the crater appears very foreshortened when observed from the Earth, and its visibility is affected by libration. The northern rim of Cusanus is nearly joined to the south-southeastern rim of the larger crater Petermann. To the west is Baillaud and to the southeast is Hayn.
De Roy is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, just behind the southwestern limb. This portion of the lunar surface is brought into view during favorable librations, allowing observation of this formation. However the crater is viewed from the side when watched from the Earth, and little detail can be seen. De Roy lies to the west of the crater Arrhenius, and east of the larger Boltzmann.
Cysatus is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southern part of the Moon's near side. It is joined to the northeastern rim of the larger crater Gruemberger, and intrudes slightly into the interior of that formation. Due south is the larger Moretus, and to the east is Curtius. These craters appear foreshortened when observed from Earth because of their far south location.
Coriolis is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. The crater floor is bisected by the lunar equator, and it lies about three crater diameters northwest of the crater Daedalus.
Einthoven is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It is located beyond the region of the surface that is sometimes brought into view due to libration, and so can not be viewed from the Earth. Einthoven is located to the northeast of the huge walled plain Pasteur.
Cockcroft is a lunar impact crater that is situated on the far side of the Moon from the Earth, so that it has only be observed and photographed from orbit. It lies to the northeast of the larger crater Fitzgerald, and southeast of Evershed.
Congreve is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon relative to the Earth, and lies across the lunar equator. It lies to the west-northwest of the massive walled plain Korolev. To the southeast is the crater Icarus, and due north is Zhukovskiy.
Fourier is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southwestern part of the Moon's near side, just to the southeast of the crater Vieta. To the northeast is the Mare Humorum. The rim of this crater is roughly circular, but appears oval when viewed from the Earth due to foreshortening.
Dante is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It lies in the northern hemisphere exactly opposite the prime meridian facing the Earth. The nearest craters of note are Larmor to the north and Morse to the southeast. To the southwest is the oddly shaped Buys-Ballot.
Lipskiy is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies just to the south of the lunar equator, and is the closest named crater to the antipode of the Earth zenith point. That is, it lies in the region of the Moon that is the most distant from the Earth. Lipskiy is located less than one crater diameter to the north of the prominent crater Daedalus. To the northeast is Krasovskiy.
Fleming is a large lunar impact crater that is located on the Moon's far side, and cannot be seen from the Earth. It lies about a crater diameter to the east-northeast of Hertz, and to the northwest of Lobachevskiy.
Florensky is a lunar impact crater that is attached to the northeastern rim of the larger crater Vernadskiy. It is located on the far side of the Moon and cannot be directly seen from the Earth. The rim of this crater has been heavily eroded and it forms an irregular ring about the uneven interior. This crater was previously identified as Vernadskiy B before being assigned a name by the IAU in 1985.
Fryxell is a small lunar impact crater that lies amidst the western inner ring of the Montes Rook. It is named for Roald H. Fryxell, an American geologist. It was previously designated Golitsyn B, a satellite of Golitsyn, before being assigned a name by the IAU. This crater is located on the Moon's far side, at the extreme edge of the region of the surface sometimes brought into view of the Earth due to libration. Even under rare conditions of favorable lighting and libration, this area would only be seen from the side amidst a rugged range of mountains. Thus this crater is best observed from orbit.
Racah is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the moon. It lies almost due south of the larger crater Daedalus, and lies across lunar longitude 180°W, i.e. the longitude that is diametrically opposite to the Earth. To the west-southwest of Racah is the crater Aitken, and to the southeast lies De Vries.
Braude is a lunar impact crater located on the far side of the Moon. The crater is named after radio astronomer Semion Braude. The crater was adopted by the IAU in 2009. The nearest major feature is the Schrödinger crater. Also located nearby is the Wiechert crater, which is located less than 170 kilometers from the southern pole.
![]() | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daedalus (crater) . |