Maury (crater)

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Maury
Maury crater 4079 h2.jpg
Coordinates 37°06′N39°36′E / 37.1°N 39.6°E / 37.1; 39.6 Coordinates: 37°06′N39°36′E / 37.1°N 39.6°E / 37.1; 39.6
Diameter 18 km
Depth 3.3 km
Colongitude 321° at sunrise
Eponym Matthew Fontaine Maury
Antonia Maury

Maury is a small lunar impact crater named for two cousins. It was first named in honor of Lieutenant Matthew Fontaine Maury of the U. S. Naval Observatory and later shared to honor Antonia Maury of Harvard College Observatory. The crater lies in the northeastern part of the Moon, just to the east of the Lacus Somniorum. The nearest named craters are Hall to the southwest, and Cepheus farther to the northeast. Just to the west of Maury is the lava-flooded remains of the satellite crater Maury C.

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.

Matthew Fontaine Maury Confederate Navy officer

Matthew Fontaine Maury was an American astronomer, United States Navy officer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, and educator.

This is a young bowl-shaped crater with a circular rim and a tiny flat floor at the midpoint. The surface of the floor has a cluster of small hills. The inner walls appear lighter than the surrounding terrain due to higher albedo. This is normal for recently formed craters, and the interior will gradually grow darker due to space weathering.

Albedo ratio of reflected radiation to incident radiation

Albedo is the measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation out of the total solar radiation received by an astronomical body. It is dimensionless and measured on a scale from 0 to 1.

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 Maury.

MauryLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A36.0° N41.8° E21 km
B35.1° N42.0° E9 km
C37.0° N38.6° E28 km
D38.2° N37.8° E8 km
J39.1° N40.1° E6 km
K39.5° N41.1° E5 km
L40.3° N42.5° E4 km
M40.8° N42.6° E16 km
N40.4° N41.9° E17 km
P39.9° N38.0° E12 km
T40.0° N43.3° E3 km
U39.3° N37.0° E5 km

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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.