Phillips (lunar crater)

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Phillips
Phillips crater AS15-M-2515.jpg
Oblique Apollo 15 image
Coordinates 26°36′S76°00′E / 26.6°S 76.0°E / -26.6; 76.0
Diameter 124 km
Colongitude 286° at sunrise
Eponym John Phillips

Phillips is a lunar impact crater that is located in the vicinity of the Moon's east-southeastern limb, named after British geologist John Phillips. [1] The larger walled plain Humboldt lies across the eastern rim of Phillips, and the outer rampart covers nearly half the interior floor. The surviving rim is eroded in places, and not quite circular.

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Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Phillips (left) and the larger Humboldt Humboldt crater Phillips crater 4178 h2.jpg
Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Phillips (left) and the larger Humboldt

The northern end of the crater's rim forms an outward-projecting bend, and the inner wall is diminished along that side. There is a small circular crater along the western rim. The interior floor is irregular in places, with a central ridge near the midpoint. To the southwest of Phillips lies the crater Legendre.

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 Phillips.

PhillipsLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A27.1° S73.6° E13 km
B23.3° S70.5° E40 km
C26.5° S71.2° E6 km
D25.0° S70.8° E61 km
E25.6° S68.3° E8 km
F25.1° S68.8° E11 km
G24.6° S68.7° E8 km
H25.3° S71.6° E7 km
W25.3° S72.8° E63 km

References

  1. "Phillips". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. International Astronomical Union . Retrieved November 13, 2017.