Menelaus (crater)
Colongitude 344° at sunrise | | |
| Eponym | Menelaus of Alexandria | |
|---|---|---|
Menelaus (/ˌmɛnɪˈleɪəs/) is a young lunar impact crater located on the southern shore of Mare Serenitatis near the eastern end of the Montes Hæmus mountain range. Its diameter is 27 km.[1] To the southwest is the small crater Auwers, and to the west-southwest is the even smaller Daubrée. To the northeast is a faint rille system named the Rimae Menelaus.
Description
The wall of Menelaus is slightly irregular in outline, with a high, sharp rim and terraced inner walls. The interior has a high albedo that is prominent under high sun angles. There are several ridges on the floor. It also has a moderate ray system, with the most prominent ray aligned to the north-northeast across the Mare Serenitatis. The location of this ray and slightly off-center central peak suggest an impact at a relatively low angle.
Names
Menelaus is named after the ancient Greek astronomer
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 Menelaus.
| Menelaus | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 17.1° N | 13.4° E | 7 km |
| C | 14.8° N | 14.5° E | 4 km |
| D | 13.2° N | 16.3° E | 4 km |
| E | 13.6° N | 15.9° E | 3 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.
- Menelaus S - See Daubrée.
References
- ^ a b "Menelaus (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ^ Ewen A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon (Cambridge University Press, 1999), p.213.
- ^ Ewen A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon (Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 198.
- ^ Ewen A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon (Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 202.
- Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
- 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. S2CID 122125855.
- ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
- Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.
- ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
- ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.
- ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
External links
- LTO-42D3 Menelaus — L&PI topographic map
- Small crater at the Southern Rim of Menelaus - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter page - featuring the photo, an interactive photo and information
- Wood, Chuck (September 7, 2004). "Helen's Husband". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
- Wood, Chuck (February 19, 2008). "Yes". Lunar Photo of the Day.
- Wood, Chuck (March 12, 2008). "Craters, Rings, Spots, and Rays During Full Moon". Lunar Photo of the Day. - includes the crater Menelaus