Maraldi (lunar crater)
Crater on the Moon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maraldi is a worn, eroded crater on the western edge of the Sinus Amoris, in the northeast part of the Moon.[4] It is located near Römer crater,[5] found to the north. To the west-southwest is the crater Vitruvius, and to the northwest lies the worn Littrow crater. Just to the northeast of the crater is the dome-like Mons Maraldi rise.[6]: 43
Apollo 17 Mapping Camera image | |
| Coordinates | 19.36°N 34.80°E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 39.62 km (24.62 mi)[1] |
| Depth | 1.5[2] km |
| Colongitude | 325° at sunrise |
| Formation | Nectarian[3] |
| Eponym | Giovanni Domenico Maraldi and Giacomo F. Maraldi |
On the lunar geologic timescale, Maraldi is a crater of Nectarian age.[3] Maraldi has a very worn outer wall that is deeply incised and has the appearance of a circular range of peaks rather than a crater rim.[6]: 43 The interior has been flooded with basaltic lava,[7] leaving a flat surface with a low albedo. There is a low ridge just to the northwest of the mid-point, and several tiny craters mark the floor surface.[6]: 43
The crater is named after two Italian-born French astronomers: Giovanni Domenico Maraldi and Giacomo F. Maraldi. This designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1]
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 Maraldi.
| Maraldi[6]: 305 | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 20.0° N | 36.3° E | 8 km |
| D | 16.7° N | 36.1° E | 67 km |
| E | 17.8° N | 35.8° E | 31 km |
| F | 19.2° N | 35.8° E | 18 km |
| N | 18.4° N | 36.8° E | 5 km |
| R | 20.3° N | 33.2° E | 5 km |
| W | 13.2° N | 36.1° E | 4 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.[8]
- Maraldi B — See Lucian (crater).
- Maraldi M — See Theophrastus (crater).
