Rowland (crater)

Last updated
Rowland
Normal rowland-clem1.jpg
Clementine mosaic
Coordinates 57°24′N162°30′W / 57.4°N 162.5°W / 57.4; -162.5 Coordinates: 57°24′N162°30′W / 57.4°N 162.5°W / 57.4; -162.5
Diameter 171 km
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 163° at sunrise
Eponym Henry A. Rowland
Mosaic of oblique Lunar Orbiter 5 images, facing northwest Rowland crater 5028 h3 med.jpg
Mosaic of oblique Lunar Orbiter 5 images, facing northwest
Another oblique view from Lunar Orbiter 5, facing west Rowland crater 5006 med.jpg
Another oblique view from Lunar Orbiter 5, facing west

Rowland is a large lunar impact crater that is located in the northern part of the Moon, on the far side from the Earth. This is an old, worn formation that is overlain by a number of smaller craters. The most notable of these is Rowland Y, which is attached to the inner wall along the north-northwestern rim. Additional smaller craters are attached to the inner wall along the southeastern and south-southwestern rims, the latter being designated Rowland N. Rowland C forms a double crater with a smaller, bowl-shaped formation in the eastern part of the floor.

The outer wall of Rowland has been rounded by a long history of minor impacts, leaving the edge somewhat irregular and rough. The top of the rim has been worn down until it became almost level with the surrounding terrain, making this a circular depression in the surface. The remains of a terrace can still be discerned in places, particularly along the eastern and southeastern inner wall.

Attached to the exterior of the eastern rim is the huge walled plain Birkhoff, an even older and more worn formation. Due north of Rowland, within one crater diameter, is Sommerfeld. To the west-southwest is the smaller crater Chappell.

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 Rowland.

RowlandLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
G57.0° N159.4° W18 km
J53.1° N155.5° W49 km
K51.4° N157.1° W25 km
M51.9° N162.4° W58 km
N55.4° N163.7° W30 km
R53.7° N169.5° W24 km
Y59.1° N163.0° W54 km

Related Research Articles

Boole (crater)

Boole is a lunar impact crater that lies along the northwestern limb of the Moon, to the northwest of the crater Gerard. At this location it is viewed nearly from the side, and is very oblong in shape due to foreshortening. The crater formation is nearly circular, however, with a wide inner wall that has been worn and rounded due to subsequent impacts. It is named after George Boole.

Birkhoff (crater)

Birkhoff is a giant lunar walled plain that is located on the far side of the Moon, in the northern hemisphere. This formation is an ancient impact site that has been heavily eroded, and the surface reshaped by multiple craters in the interior and along the rim. The outer wall is bordered by the craters Carnot to the south, Rowland along the west rim, and Stebbins to the north. Just to the northeast is van't Hoff.

Gemma Frisius (crater)

Gemma Frisius is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. It was named after Dutch physician Gemma Frisius. It lies to the north of the walled plain Maurolycus, and southeast of the smaller crater Poisson. The crater Goodacre is attached to the northeast rim.

Marinus (crater)

Marinus is a lunar impact crater that is located near the southeastern limb of the Moon. At this location it is viewed at an oblique angle from the Earth, limiting the amount of detail that can be observed. It lies due north of the slightly larger and dark-floored crater Oken. To the east is the northern part of the Mare Australe.

Darwin (lunar crater)

Darwin is a lunar impact crater of the type categorised as a walled plain. It lies in the southeastern part of the Moon, and is sufficiently close to the limb to appear significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth. Attached to its southern rim is Lamarck. To the northeast is the dark-floored crater Crüger.

Nansen (lunar crater)

Nansen is an old lunar impact crater along the northern limb of the Moon, on the eastern side of the north pole. This feature is viewed from the edge from the Earth, and it must be observed from orbit to see much detail. When brought into view during a favorable libration, this formation can be located by finding the crater Baillaud, then following the surface up towards the limb.

Dryden (crater)

Dryden is a lunar impact crater that is located on the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. It lies within the huge walled plain called Apollo, and is one of several features within that basin named after people associated with the Apollo program. Apollo itself has an inner ring, and Dryden is attached to the west-northwest part of that circular mountain formation. To the south of Dryden along the same range is the crater Chaffee.

Clairaut (crater)

Clairaut is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon's near side. It lies directly to the south of the crater Maurolycus and southeast of Barocius. Just to the southwest is Cuvier.

dAlembert (crater) Also named after the above

d'Alembert is a large lunar impact crater located in the northern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon, to the northeast of the somewhat smaller walled plain Campbell. Astride the southwest rim of d'Alembert is Slipher. To the north is the crater Yamamoto, and to the south-southwest lies Langevin. This walled plain has the same diameter as Clavius on the near side, making it one of the largest such formations on the Moon.

Chapman (crater)

Chapman is a lunar impact crater that lies just beyond the northwest rim of the Moon, on the far side as seen from the Earth. It lies to the northeast of the crater Rynin, and southward of the large walled plain Poczobutt.

Dyson (crater)

Dyson is a lunar impact crater, 63 kilometers in diameter, that lies on the far side of the Moon, past the northwest limb. It is located in the northern part of the surface, to the northwest of the crater Coulomb, and east of van't Hoff.

Curie (lunar crater)

Curie is a large lunar impact crater, much of which lies on the far side of the Moon as seen from the Earth. The western rim projects into the near side of the Moon, as defined by the selenographic coordinate system. However the visibility of this formation depends on the effects of libration, so that it can be brought fully into view or completely hidden depending on the orientation of the Moon. When visible, however, it is seen nearly from the side, limiting the amount of detail that can be observed.

Lavoisier (crater)

Lavoisier is a lunar impact crater that is located near the northwestern limb of the Moon, at the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum. It is named after the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier. It is located to the southwest of the crater von Braun and southeast of Bunsen. Due south of Lavoisier is the disintegrated crater Ulugh Beigh.

Chandler (crater)

Chandler is a lunar impact crater in the northern hemisphere, on the Moon's far side. It lies to the southeast of the large walled plain D'Alembert, and southeast of the slightly smaller Chernyshev crater.

Mallet (crater)

Mallet is a crater on the near side of the Moon. It is located next to the linear valley named Vallis Rheita, in the rugged southeastern quadrant. To the northwest along the same valley formation is the crater Young.

Pilâtre (crater)

Pilâtre is a lunar impact crater near the southwestern limb of the Moon. It is located just to the north-northwest of the much larger walled plain Hausen. The satellite crater Pingré S is attached to the eastern rim, with Pingré itself located farther to the northeast. Just to the west-southwest is Chappe, a formation of similar dimension to Pilâtre.

Mendel (lunar crater)

Mendel is a large Impact crater that lies on the far side of the Moon. It is located in the southern fringe of the huge skirt of ejecta that surrounds the Mare Orientale impact basin. To the south-southwest of Mendel is Lippmann, an even larger crater.

Raspletin (crater)

Raspletin is a lunar impact crater that is located along the southeastern inner edge of the much larger walled plain Gagarin, on the far side of the Moon.

Tikhov (lunar crater)

Tikhov is an eroded lunar impact crater on the Moon's far side. It is nearly attached to the east-southeastern outer rim of the larger crater Avogadro. About one crater diameter the east-northeast of Tikhov is the equally worn crater Emden, and to south-southeast lies the younger Tsinger.

Parenago (crater)

Parenago is an impact crater on the Moon's far side, behind the eastern limb. Nearly attached to the east-southeastern outer rim of Parengo is the crater Berkner. To the south-southwest lies Comrie.

References