Gill (lunar crater)

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Gill
Gill crater 4044 h3.jpg
Coordinates 63°54′S75°54′E / 63.9°S 75.9°E / -63.9; 75.9 Coordinates: 63°54′S75°54′E / 63.9°S 75.9°E / -63.9; 75.9
Diameter 66 km
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 286° at sunrise
Eponym David Gill
Oblique view of Gill from Apollo 15, facing southwest Gill crater as15-96-13093.jpg
Oblique view of Gill from Apollo 15, facing southwest

Gill is a lunar impact crater that is located near the southeastern limb of the Moon. Due to its proximity to the edge of the Moon as seen from the Earth, this crater is viewed nearly from the side and it can become hidden from sight due to libration. The crater lies to the southwest of the irregular Mare Australe, and southeast of the prominent crater Pontécoulant. To the southwest of Gill is the crater Helmholtz.

Contents

This is an old, eroded crater formation with an outer rim that is uneven from a history of impacts. A joined pair of small craters lie along the northern rim, and Gill A intrudes slightly into the western outer rim. The interior floor is relatively level, and is marked by several craterlets.

On June 11, 2009, the Japanese SELENE lunar orbiter spacecraft was deliberately crashed into the surface of the Moon to the southeast of Gill. The impact site was at selenographic coordinates 65.5 S, 80.4 E. [1] The flash from the impact was successfully observed from Mount Abu Observatory in Guru Shikhar, India. [2] and by the Anglo-Australian Telescope. [3]

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 Gill.

GillLatitudeLongitudeDiameter (km)Diameter (mi)
A63.6° S72.9° E13 km8 mi
B61.7° S69.9° E31 km19 mi
C62.2° S67.4° E30 km19 mi
D63.4° S79.8° E15 km9 mi
E63.3° S70.4° E13 km8 mi
F63.8° S65.1° E23 km14 mi
G63.5° S68.2° E32 km20 mi
H63.9° S70.2° E8 km5 mi

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References

  1. "KAGUYA (SELENE) Slam Crashed to the Moon". Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. June 11, 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-04-28. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  2. "Impact of Japanese spacecraft Kaguya (Selene) on lunar surface". European Space Agency. June 17, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  3. "AAO Newsletter August 2009" (PDF). Anglo Australian Observatory. August 31, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-10-01. Retrieved 2009-10-11.

General references