Drygalski (crater)

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Drygalski
Drygalski Clementine LTVT.JPG
Clementine mosaic
Coordinates 79°18′S84°54′W / 79.3°S 84.9°W / -79.3; -84.9 Coordinates: 79°18′S84°54′W / 79.3°S 84.9°W / -79.3; -84.9
Diameter 149 km
Depth 4.0 km
Colongitude 102° at sunrise
Eponym Erich D. Von Drygalski
Lunar Orbiter 4 image Drygalski crater 4193 h1.jpg
Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Oblique Kaguya image Drygalski Kaguja.jpg
Oblique Kaguya image

Drygalski is a large lunar impact crater that lies along the southern limb of the Moon. It partly overlies the crater Ashbrook to the west on the far side of the Moon. Just to the north of Drygalski is the smaller Boltzmann. The location of this crater restricts its observation from the Earth, and even under conditions of favorable libration it is viewed from the edge. It is only illuminated by the Sun at an oblique angle, and it lies close to the south polar craters that are permanently shielded from sunlight.

The outer rim of this crater has been worn and eroded by subsequent impacts, leaving a rugged, mountainous ring that is overlaid in places by small craters. The most notable of these are Drygalski P across the southwest rim where it joins Ashbrook, and Drygalski V along the north-northwest inner wall. There is a small catena, or crater chain, beginning tangentially the northern outer rim then arcing to the north towards Boltzmann. To the south is an odd formation of two or more small craters, forming a short valley.

Portions of the interior floor within the inner walls is flat and level, having been resurfaced by lava. The flattest parts are in the southern and eastern sections of the interior. The surface is more rugged in the west, and is marked by several small craterlets. At the midpoint of the interior is a rugged central peak formation with several smaller ridges along the flanks.

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 Drygalski.

DrygalskiLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
P81.0° S99.9° W30 km
V78.5° S93.4° W21 km

The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.

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Zeeman (crater)

Zeeman is a lunar impact crater located on the far side of the Moon near its south pole. It is not directly visible from the Earth. To the northwest of Zeeman lies the crater Numerov. Southeast of the rim is the crater Ashbrook.

Ashbrook (crater)

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.

Azophi (crater)

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Blanchinus (crater)

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Biela (crater)

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Becquerel (lunar crater)

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Birkhoff (crater)

Birkhoff is a giant lunar walled plain that is located on the far side of the Moon, in the northern hemisphere. This formation is an ancient impact site that has been heavily eroded, and the surface reshaped by multiple craters in the interior and along the rim. The outer wall is bordered by the craters Carnot to the south, Rowland along the west rim, and Stebbins to the north. Just to the northeast is van't Hoff.

Boltzmann (crater)

Boltzmann is an old lunar impact crater that is located along the southern limb of the Moon, in the vicinity of the south pole. At this location the crater is viewed from the side from Earth, and so not much detail can be seen. It is located to the north of the walled plain Drygalski, and to the west of the crater Le Gentil.

Catalán (crater)

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Schwarzschild (crater)

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Carnot (crater)

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Coulomb (crater)

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Chandler (crater)

Chandler is a lunar impact crater in the northern hemisphere, on the Moon's far side. It lies to the southeast of the large walled plain D'Alembert, and southeast of the slightly smaller Chernyshev crater.

Mallet (crater)

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Ibn Firnas (crater)

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Evershed (crater)

Evershed is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon, named after the English solar astronomer John Evershed. It is located to the northeast of the larger crater Cockcroft, and to the north of the smaller Van den Bergh.

Obruchev (crater)

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