Mitchell (crater)

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Mitchell
Mitchell crater 4104 h1.jpg
Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Mitchell, with rim of Aristoteles at left
Coordinates 49°42′N20°12′E / 49.7°N 20.2°E / 49.7; 20.2
Diameter 30 km
Depth 1.3 km
Colongitude 340° at sunrise
Eponym Maria Mitchell
Location of the lunar crater Mitchell Crater Mitchell.jpg
Location of the lunar crater Mitchell

Mitchell is a lunar impact crater, which is attached to the eastern rim of the larger and more prominent crater Aristoteles. It was named after American astronomer Maria Mitchell. [1] The floor of Mitchell is rough and irregular, with a low central rise, being partially filled with the ejecta of the younger Aristoteles. There is a slight notch in the southern rim, and the western wall has been completely absorbed by the rim of Aristoteles.

Contents

Features

It is characterised by an extremely high rockfall density by lunar standards. [2] :2

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint which is closest to Mitchell.

FeatureLatitudeLongitudeDiameterRef
Mitchell B48.3° N19.3° E5.4 km WGPSN
Mitchell E47.6° N21.7° E7.72 km WGPSN

See also

References

  1. "Mitchell (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. Bickel, Valentin Tertius; et al. (2020-06-08). "Impacts drive lunar rockfalls over billions of years". Nature Communications. 11: 1–7. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16653-3. eISSN   2041-1723. PMC   7280507 .