Cleomedes (crater)

Cleomedes
	LRO mosaic
Coordinates	27°36′N 55°30′E / 27.60°N 55.50°E
Diameter	130.77 km (81.26 mi)
Depth	2.7 km (1.7 mi)
Colongitude	304° at sunrise
Formation	Nectarian
Eponym	Cleomedes

Cleomedes is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the northeast part of the visible Moon, to the north of Mare Crisium.^[3] It is surrounded by rough ground with multiple crater impacts. The irregular crater Tralles intrudes into the northwest rim.^[4] To the east is Delmotte. North of Cleomedes is a triple-crater formation with Burckhardt occupying the center.

On the lunar geologic timescale, Cleomedes is one of the largest craters of Nectarian age.^[2] The outer wall of Cleomedes is heavily worn and eroded, especially along the southern part of the wall. Cleomedes C lies across the south-southwest rim. The crater floor is nearly flat, with a small central peak to the north of the midpoint, forming a linear ridge toward the north-northeast.^[5]^: 44 The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified on the central peak.^[6] There are several notable craterlets on the floor, including a pair of overlapping craters just inside the northwest rim.

A rille named Rima Cleomedes crosses the northern floor, running southeast from the northwest rim. This rille branches in a fork after crossing the crater mid-line.^[7] Smaller clefts lie in the southeast part of the floor. A pair of lunar domes have been identified to the south of Cleomedes crater.^[8]

This formation is named after the Greek astronomer Cleomedes (unkn-c. 50 B.C.). His name was included in the lunar nomenclature of the Italian astronomer Giovanni B. Riccioli in 1651.^[9] Its designation was formally 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 Cleomedes.^[10]

Cleomedes^[5]^: 295	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	28.9° N	55.0° E	12 km
B	27.2° N	55.9° E	11 km
C	25.7° N	54.9° E	14 km
D	29.3° N	61.9° E	25 km
E	28.6° N	54.4° E	21 km
F	22.6° N	56.9° E	12 km
G	24.0° N	57.3° E	20 km
H	22.4° N	57.6° E	6 km
J	26.9° N	56.8° E	10 km
L	23.8° N	54.4° E	7 km
M	24.2° N	51.6° E	6 km
N	24.8° N	52.5° E	6 km
P	24.8° N	56.4° E	9 km
Q	24.9° N	56.9° E	4 km
R	29.5° N	60.2° E	15 km
S	29.5° N	59.0° E	8 km
T	25.8° N	57.7° E	11 km

References

1 2 "Cleomedes". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
1 2 Wilhelms, Don E.; McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. (1987). The geologic history of the Moon. USGS Professional Paper 1348. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. doi:10.3133/pp1348. Table 9-4.
↑ Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. pp. 107, 154–159. Reprint: ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3
↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.
↑ Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 144. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
↑ Lena, Raffaello (2024). "Lunar domes near the crater Cleomedes". Journal of the British Astronomical Association. 134 (2): 117.
↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. p. 120, 211. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
↑ Grego, P. (2015). "Satellite Crater". In Hargitai, H.; Kereszturi, Á. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328.

External links

High resolution lunar overflight video by Seán Doran, based on LRO data, that passes over Mare Crisium and ends over Cleomedes (see album for more)

[GPN-1] 1 2 "Cleomedes". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Wilhelms_et_al_1987-2] 1 2 Wilhelms, Don E.; McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. (1987). The geologic history of the Moon. USGS Professional Paper 1348. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. doi:10.3133/pp1348. Table 9-4.

[Webb_1962-3] Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. pp. 107, 154–159. Reprint: ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3

[Moore_2001-4] Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-5] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

[Donaldson_Hanna_et_al_2014-6] Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.

[Grego_2005-7] Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 144. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.

[Lena_2024-8] Lena, Raffaello (2024). "Lunar domes near the crater Cleomedes". Journal of the British Astronomical Association. 134 (2): 117.

[Whitaker_1999-9] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. p. 120, 211. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

[Grego_2015-10] Grego, P. (2015). "Satellite Crater". In Hargitai, H.; Kereszturi, Á. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328.

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