Langley (crater)

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Langley
Langley crater 4190 med.jpg
Oblique Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates 51°06′N86°18′W / 51.1°N 86.3°W / 51.1; -86.3 Coordinates: 51°06′N86°18′W / 51.1°N 86.3°W / 51.1; -86.3
Diameter 59 km
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 87° at sunrise
Eponym Samuel P. Langley

Langley is a lunar impact crater that is located close to the northwestern limb of the Moon, and from the Earth is viewed edge-on. It is located in the gap between the crater Galvani, which lies across the southeastern rim, and Volta along the northeastern rim. Just to the northwest is Stokes.

The rim of Langley has been heavily damaged by nearby impacts, and the result is an irregular perimeter that has been reshaped and heavily eroded. Galvani intrudes into the southeastern part of the floor, having overlaid that section of the rim. To the northeast is a pair of craters designated Langley J and Langley K. These lie proximal to each other, along the inner side of the rim shared with Volta. The western arc of the rim is the most intact section, although several small craters lie across the rim and along the sides. The interior floor of Langley is relatively featureless, with only a few craterlets.

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 Langley.

LangleyLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
J51.7° N85.2° W20 km
K52.0° N86.3° W20 km

Related Research Articles

References

Ewen Whitaker British astronomer

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.

NASA space-related agency of the United States government

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.

United States Geological Survey Scientific agency of the United States government

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.