Astronomy:Riccius (crater)
 Lunar Orbiter 4 image | |
| Diameter | 71.79 km |
|---|---|
| Depth | 1.8 km |
| Colongitude | 335° at sunrise |
Riccius is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged, southeastern part of the Moon's near side. It was named after Italian astronomers Augustinus Riccius and Matteo Ricci.[1] It lies within one crater diameter southeast of the crater Rabbi Levi. To the east-northeast is Stiborius and due south is Nicolai.
This formation has been so heavily bombarded by subsequent impacts that it is nearly unrecognizable as a crater. Only the western and southwestern parts of the rim remains intact, the remainder having been obliterated by small craters. These craters also occupy parts of the northern and southern floor. Only a section in the northeast and near the intact western rim remain unmarked. This is perhaps the most defaced crater formation on the Moon that possesses an eponym.
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 Riccius.
| Riccius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 35.9° S | 27.4° E | 24 km |
| B | 37.5° S | 27.8° E | 19 km |
| C | 36.2° S | 28.8° E | 24 km |
| D | 40.3° S | 28.9° E | 17 km |
| E | 39.9° S | 26.4° E | 22 km |
| G | 38.5° S | 24.4° E | 13 km |
| H | 35.4° S | 26.1° E | 20 km |
| J | 40.7° S | 26.0° E | 13 km |
| K | 39.1° S | 25.7° E | 6 km |
| L | 41.5° S | 26.8° E | 8 km |
| M | 37.8° S | 26.4° E | 14 km |
| N | 41.1° S | 27.6° E | 13 km |
| O | 36.2° S | 27.8° E | 9 km |
| P | 35.7° S | 28.1° E | 11 km |
| R | 41.4° S | 30.7° E | 7 km |
| S | 37.0° S | 26.5° E | 11 km |
| T | 36.3° S | 25.0° E | 7 km |
| W | 38.9° S | 25.2° E | 19 km |
| X | 38.8° S | 26.7° E | 11 km |
| Y | 35.8° S | 29.1° E | 10 km |
References
- 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. https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780936389271.
- McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. http://host.planet4589.org/astro/lunar/.
- 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. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. Bibcode: 1971SSRv...12..136M.
- Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6. https://archive.org/details/patrickmooreonmo00patr.
- 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. https://archive.org/details/celestialobjects00webb.
- 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.
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