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Gilbert is a large lunar impact crater that lies near the eastern limb of the Moon. Due to its location this feature appears foreshortened when viewed from the Earth, limiting the amount of detail that can be observed. The crater lies to the northwest of the similar-sized walled plain Kästner, to the west of the Mare Smythii.
Several satellite craters in the vicinity have since been given names by the IAU. Nearly attached to the north-northeastern rim of Gilbert are the craters Weierstrass (Gilbert N) and Van Vleck (Gilbert M), two somewhat similar formations. In the northeastern part of Gilbert's interior floor is the small, bowl-shaped Geissler (Gilbert D).
Gilbert is a somewhat degraded walled plain, with an outer rim that has been somewhat reshaped by nearby impacts. The southern rim has almost completely disintegrated, and forms a rolling surface that flows toward the south as an extended depression. The crater pair of Weierstrass and Van Vleck have formed an indented rim along the northeast face, while the northwest rim is overlain by Gilbert S. The interior floor is relatively level with some low ridges running down the center toward the southern end.
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Gilbert.
Gilbert | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
J | 4.3° S | 72.7° E | 38 km |
K | 5.5° S | 73.2° E | 38 km |
P | 0.9° S | 75.6° E | 18 km |
S | 1.9° S | 75.6° E | 19 km |
V | 1.5° S | 79.9° E | 15 km |
W | 1.1° S | 78.9° E | 19 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.
Ewen Adair Whitaker was a British-born astronomer who specialized in lunar studies. During World War II he was engaged in quality control for the lead sheathing of hollow cables strung under the English Channel as part of the "Pipe Line Under The Ocean" Project (PLUTO) to supply gasoline to Allied military vehicles in France. After the war, he obtained a position at the Royal Greenwich Observatory working on the UV spectra of stars, but became interested in lunar studies. As a sideline, Whitaker drew and published the first accurate chart of the South Polar area of the Moon in 1954, and served as director of the Lunar Section of the British Astronomical Association.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility.