Lockyer (lunar crater)

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Lockyer
Lockyer crater 4076 h2.jpg
Coordinates 46°12′S36°42′E / 46.2°S 36.7°E / -46.2; 36.7 Coordinates: 46°12′S36°42′E / 46.2°S 36.7°E / -46.2; 36.7
Diameter 34 km
Depth 3.8 km
Colongitude 324° at sunrise
Eponym Norman Lockyer

Lockyer is a lunar impact crater that is located along the western wall of the large walled plain Janssen. It was named after British astrophysicist Norman Lockyer. [1] This crater is roughly circular with a slight outward bulge along the eastern side. The edge of the rim is only lightly eroded, with an indentation in the side to the north-northwest. The interior floor is relatively featureless, except for a small crater along the edge of the southern inner wall.

Lunar craters

Lunar craters are impact craters on Earth's Moon. The Moon's surface has many craters, almost all of which were formed by impacts.

Impact crater Circular depression on a solid astronomical body formed by a hypervelocity impact of a smaller object

An impact crater is an approximately circular depression in the surface of a planet, moon, or other solid body in the Solar System or elsewhere, formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller body. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal collapse, impact craters typically have raised rims and floors that are lower in elevation than the surrounding terrain. Impact craters range from small, simple, bowl-shaped depressions to large, complex, multi-ringed impact basins. Meteor Crater is a well-known example of a small impact crater on Earth.

Janssen (lunar crater) impact crater

Janssen is an ancient impact crater located in the highland region near the southeastern lunar limb. The entire structure has been heavily worn and is marked by many lesser crater impacts. The outer wall is breached in multiple locations, but the outline of the crater rim can still be observed. The wall forms a distinctive hexagonal shape upon the rugged lunar surface, with a slight curvature at the vertices.

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 Lockyer.

LockyerLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A44.0° S31.0° E10 km
F47.5° S36.5° E20 km
G45.7° S33.3° E24 km
H44.5° S32.5° E31 km
J45.0° S32.3° E13 km

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References

  1. "Lockyer (lunar crater)" . Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
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.

Ben J. Bussey is an American planetary scientist.