Bok (lunar crater)
Crater on the Moon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bok is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon.[3] To the southeast is the crater Sniadecki; to the north is McKellar,[4]: 104–105 and further to the west is De Vries.[5]
LRO Wide Angle Camera image | |
| Coordinates | 20.26°S 171.58°W |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 43.03 km (26.74 mi)[1] |
| Depth | Unknown |
| Colongitude | 172° at sunrise |
| Formation | Eratosthenian[2] |
| Eponym | Priscilla F. Bok Bart J. Bok |
This formation dates to the Eratosthenian epoch of the lunar geologic timescale.[2] The rim of Bok is well-defined and is not significantly eroded. The inner walls slope gently down to the nearly level interior floor, which has a central peak near the midpoint. There is a slight inward bulge along the northwest wall. The crater shows a strong signature of orthopyroxene, especially at the central peak, while the ejecta blanket has high concentrations of plagioclase and is mildly overabundant in iron oxide and titanium dioxide.[2]
This crater is named after the American astronomer Priscilla F. Bok (1896-1975) and Dutch-American astronomer Bart J. Bok (1906-1983). The pair were married and spent a lifetime in close scientific collaboration.[6] Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1979.[1]