Damoiseau (crater)

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Damoiseau
Damoiseau crater 4161 h3.jpg
Coordinates 4°48′S61°06′W / 4.8°S 61.1°W / -4.8; -61.1 Coordinates: 4°48′S61°06′W / 4.8°S 61.1°W / -4.8; -61.1
Diameter 37 km
Depth 1.2 km
Colongitude 61° at sunrise
Eponym Marie-C.-T. de Damoiseau

Damoiseau is a lunar impact crater that is located just to the west of the Oceanus Procellarum, in the western part of the Moon's near side. It lies due east of the prominent crater Grimaldi, a walled plain with a distinctive dark floor. Due south of Damoiseau is the crater Sirsalis.

The low outer rim of Damoiseau is not quite circular, having an outward protrusion to the northeast and smaller bulges to the north and southeast. The interior floor is irregular and complex, with a series of ridges and small clefts (similar to Vitello). The crater is concentric with a larger, older crater designated Damoiseau M [1] that is approximately twice the diameter. This outer feature is missing a rim to the northeast where it intersects the lunar mare.

To the southeast is a rille system named the Rimae Grimaldi. This continues to the west and south, for a maximum dimension of 230 kilometers.

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 Damoiseau.

DamoiseauLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A6.3° S62.4° W47 km
B8.6° S61.6° W23 km
BA8.3° S59.0° W9 km
C9.1° S62.5° W15 km
D6.4° S63.3° W17 km
E5.2° S58.3° W14 km
F7.9° S62.1° W11 km
G2.5° S55.6° W4 km
H3.8° S59.8° W45 km
J4.1° S62.0° W7 km
K4.6° S60.4° W23 km
L4.5° S59.3° W14 km
M5.1° S61.3° W54 km
Oblique view of Damoiseau (right of center) from Lunar Orbiter 3, facing southwest. The flat plain in the foreground is Oceanus Procellarum, and the semi-circular "bay" below center is Damoiseau H. The small crater at far left adjacent to Damoiseau H is Damoiseau L. The south wall of Damoiseau M is visible, concentric with Damoiseau itself. Damoiseau A is behind (above and to the right of) Damoiseau. Damoiseau area 3213 med.jpg
Oblique view of Damoiseau (right of center) from Lunar Orbiter 3, facing southwest. The flat plain in the foreground is Oceanus Procellarum, and the semi-circular "bay" below center is Damoiseau H. The small crater at far left adjacent to Damoiseau H is Damoiseau L. The south wall of Damoiseau M is visible, concentric with Damoiseau itself. Damoiseau A is behind (above and to the right of) Damoiseau.
Damoiseau A (larger) and D (smaller, at left) craters Damoiseau A and D craters 4161 h3.jpg
Damoiseau A (larger) and D (smaller, at left) craters

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Becquerel (lunar crater) Lunar impact crater

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Boussingault (crater)

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Weierstrass (crater)

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Fourier (crater) Lunar impact crater

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References

  1. Damoiseau M, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)