Metius (crater)
 Lunar Orbiter 4 image | |
| Coordinates | 40°18′S 43°18′E / 40.3°S 43.3°E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 88 km |
| Depth | 3.0 km |
| Colongitude | 317° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Adriaan Metius |
Metius is a lunar impact crater located in the rugged highlands to the southeast of the Moon's near side. To the southwest the rim is attached to the crater Fabricius. Offset to the west-northwest is the heavily worn crater Brenner. Further away to the northeast is the crater Rheita and the long gorge Vallis Rheita.
The rim of Metius does not protrude prominently into the surroundings and has an insignificant rampart. A few small craters mar the outer wall, but generally it has a smoothed down appearance that is almost free of terraces. The floor is relatively flat with low central peaks. The most prominent crater on the floor is Metius B, located near the northeast rim.
Metius is a crater of Nectarian age.[1]
The eponym for this crater is the Dutch geometer and astronomer Adriaan Adriaanszoon, who went by the name of Metius.[2]
Satellite craters
[edit]By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Metius.
| Metius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 40.1° S | 44.3° E | 14 km |
| C | 44.2° S | 49.1° E | 11 km |
| D | 42.6° S | 48.4° E | 11 km |
| E | 39.7° S | 42.8° E | 6 km |
| F | 39.1° S | 42.9° E | 8 km |
| G | 40.3° S | 45.3° E | 9 km |
References
[edit]- ^ The geologic history of the Moon. USGS Professional Paper 1348. By Don E. Wilhelms, John F. McCauley, and Newell J. Trask. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington: 1987. Table 9-4.
- ^ "Metius (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
- Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
- Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 978-0-936389-27-1.
- McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- Menzel, D. H.; Minnaert, M.; Levin, B.; Dollfus, A.; Bell, B. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews. 12 (2): 136–186. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.
- Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
- Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.
- Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
- Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.
- Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
