Fontenelle (crater)

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Fontenelle
Fontenelle crater 4128 h1 h2.jpg
Coordinates 63°25′N18°58′W / 63.42°N 18.96°W / 63.42; -18.96
Diameter 37.68 km (23.41 mi)
Depth 1.8 km (1.1 mi)
Colongitude 19° at sunrise
Eponym Bernard Fontenelle
Location of Fontenelle Lunar crater Fontenelle.png
Location of Fontenelle

Fontenelle is a lunar impact crater that is located along the northern edge of Mare Frigoris, in the northern part of the Moon. To the northeast is the remnant of the crater Birmingham. Due to its location, this crater appears oval in shape when observed from the Earth because of foreshortening.

The rim of this crater is generally circular, but the edge is irregular and in some locations has a notched appearance. This is particularly true along the southwest and the eastern edges. The rim projects above the surface of the Mare Frigoris, and a wrinkle ridge trends for over 100 km to the southeast from the edge.

The interior of Fontenelle has a fractured floor. [1] There is a low, wide central hill at the midpoint, and some rough ground to the west of this rise.

To the south of Fontenelle on the lunar mare is a small, unnamed crater (about 4.5 km diameter) that is surrounded by a ray system of high albedo material. This crater displays a resemblance to Linné on Mare Serenitatis. This feature lies about 15 kilometers north-northwest of Fontenelle G.

To the east of this crater is an unusual geometric configuration in the surface with an angular shape. This came to be known as "Mädler's Square", after the lunar selenographer Johann Mädler. [2] [3] It is roughly square in shape, but appears lozenge-shaped due to foreshortening. This feature was noted in many early books concerning the Moon.

The crater was named in 1935 by the IAU after French astronomer Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle. [4]

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 Fontenelle.

FontenelleLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A67.5° N16.1° W21 km
B61.9° N23.0° W14 km
C64.4° N27.2° W13 km
D62.5° N23.4° W17 km
F64.4° N28.2° W11 km
G59.5° N18.3° W4 km
H64.1° N20.1° W6 km
K69.6° N15.6° W7 km
L66.5° N16.6° W6 km
M63.1° N28.8° W9 km
N64.0° N29.7° W8 km
P64.1° N17.2° W6 km
R64.3° N18.8° W6 km
S65.3° N26.7° W7 km
T66.3° N25.7° W7 km
X60.5° N27.8° W7 km
Fontenelle D Fontenelle D (LROC-WAC).png
Fontenelle D

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References

  1. The geologic history of the Moon, 1987, Wilhelms, Don E.; with sections by McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. USGS Professional Paper: 1348. (online)
  2. Madler's Square at the Moon Wiki
  3. Bartlett, J. C. 1950. Mädler’s Square. Strolling Astron. 4(12): 2.
  4. Fonenelle, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)