Ross (lunar crater)

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The crater(top right) area in a Selenochromatic format Image (Si) Dionysius crater Area Si.jpg
The crater(top right) area in a Selenochromatic format Image (Si)
Ross
Ross crater 4085 h2.jpg
Coordinates 11°40′N21°44′E / 11.67°N 21.74°E / 11.67; 21.74
Diameter 24.49 km (15.22 mi)
Depth 1.8 km (1.1 mi)
Colongitude 338° at sunrise
Eponym James C. Ross and Frank Elmore Ross

Ross is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northwest part of the Mare Tranquillitatis. It was named by the IAU in 1935, after James Clark Ross (British explorer) and Frank E. Ross (American astronomer and optician). [1] It lies south-southwest of the crater Plinius, and northeast of the lava-flooded Maclear.

Contents

This crater has a generally circular shape, but is not quite symmetrical. The inner walls slope down to a base of slumped material, before joining a relatively level interior floor. There is a low ridge to the west of the crater midpoint.

Ross crater and its satellite craters taken from Earth in 2012 at the University of Hertfordshire's Bayfordbury Observatory with the telescopes Meade LX200 14" and Lumenera Skynyx 2-1 Ross lunar crater map.jpg
Ross crater and its satellite craters taken from Earth in 2012 at the University of Hertfordshire's Bayfordbury Observatory with the telescopes Meade LX200 14" and Lumenera Skynyx 2-1

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 Ross.

Oblique view facing south from Apollo 15 Ross crater AS15-P-9880 ASU.jpg
Oblique view facing south from Apollo 15
Cross sections of Ross crater with different elevations of each direction. Ross crater cross section.jpg
Cross sections of Ross crater with different elevations of each direction.
RossLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
B11.4° N20.2° E6 km
C11.7° N19.0° E5 km
D12.6° N23.3° E9 km
E11.1° N23.4° E4 km
F10.9° N24.2° E5 km
G10.7° N24.9° E5 km
H10.2° N21.8° E5 km

References

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