Geminus (crater)

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Geminus
Geminus crater LROC.jpg
LRO mosaic
Coordinates 34°25′N56°40′E / 34.42°N 56.66°E / 34.42; 56.66
Diameter 81.98 km (50.94 mi)
Depth 5.4 km
Colongitude 304° at sunrise
Eponym Geminus
Oblique view from Apollo 16 Geminus crater AS16-P-5587.jpg
Oblique view from Apollo 16

Geminus is a lunar impact crater that is located near the northeast limb of the visible Moon. In this position the crater appears oval in shape due to foreshortening, but it is actually more nearly circular in form. It was named by the IAU in 1935. [1]

The circular rim of Geminus contain a number of outward notches, particularly to the north and east. The crater ejecta is still visible in the rough surroundings beyond the rim, but any rays deposited during the impact have long since been worn away by space weathering. The inner wall is wide and extensively terraced, although these features are now somewhat muted due to impact erosion. There are no notable impacts on the interior floor, but there is a long, slender central ridge located at the midpoint and a pair of readily observed clefts.

Notable nearby craters include Messala to the northeast, Bernoulli due east, and Burckhardt and Cleomedes to the south.

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 Geminus.

GeminusLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A31.5° N51.8° E15 km
B34.2° N52.3° E10 km
C33.9° N58.7° E16 km
D30.6° N47.4° E16 km
E33.5° N48.5° E67 km
F32.1° N51.1° E22 km
G30.8° N48.6° E14 km
H31.6° N48.9° E15 km
M31.9° N48.5° E11 km
N31.4° N47.7° E24 km
W34.3° N47.4° E6 km
Z30.7° N46.7° E26 km

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References

  1. "Geminus". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/NASA/USGS . Retrieved 28 April 2024.