| Coordinates | 14.5°N 9.1°E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 38.34 km (23.82 mi)[1] |
| Depth | 3.05 km (10,000 ft) |
| Colong | 351 |
| Eponym | Marcus Manilius |
Manilius is a lunar impact crater on the northeast edge of Mare Vaporum. T. W. Webb described it as "a beautiful cavity" that "has a broad luminous terraced crater- and peak-bespeckled ring".[2] Its diameter is 38 km.[1]
Description
Manilius has a well-defined rim with a sloping inner surface that runs directly down to the ring-shaped mound of scree along the base, and a small outer rampart. The small crater interior has a higher albedo than the surroundings, and it appears bright when the sun is overhead. Within the crater is a central peak formation near the midpoint. The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified along the northern walls.[3]
The crater possesses a ray system that extends for a distance of over 300 kilometers. Despite the presence of these rays, which generally indicate the age of the crater as Copernican, the crater is currently mapped as Eratosthenian age.[4][5]
Names
Manilius is named after the Roman astronomer Marcus Manilius. Its designation was adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1] Like many of the craters on the Moon's near side, it was given its name by Giovanni Riccioli, whose 1651 nomenclature system has become standardized.[6] Earlier lunar cartographers had given the feature different names. Michael van Langren's 1645 map calls it "Isabellae Reg. Hisp." (Isabella, Queen of Spain),[6] and Johannes Hevelius called it "Insula Besbicus" after the island in Turkey now known as İmralı.[6]
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 Manilius.
| Manilius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 16.6° N | 7.3° E | 6 km |
| C | 12.1° N | 10.4° E | 7 km |
| D | 13.2° N | 7.0° E | 5 km |
| E | 18.3° N | 6.4° E | 49 km |
| G | 15.5° N | 9.7° E | 5 km |
| H | 17.8° N | 8.6° E | 3 km |
| K | 11.9° N | 11.2° E | 3 km |
| T | 13.4° N | 10.6° E | 4 km |
| U | 13.8° N | 10.8° E | 4 km |
| W | 13.4° N | 12.9° E | 4 km |
| X | 14.4° N | 13.4° E | 3 km |
| Z | 16.4° N | 11.7° E | 3 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.
References
- ^
- ^ Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes. 6th revised ed. Dover. pp. 118, 154–159. Reprint: ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3
- ^ 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
- ^ Stratigraphy of Lunar Craters, Don E. Wilhelms and Charles J. Byrne, January 23, 2009
- ^ 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 12.2.
- ^ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
Sources
- Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co.. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
- 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.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
External links
- Manilius at The Moon Wiki
- Wood, Chuck (December 4, 2005). "A Line of Domes". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on May 14, 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- Wood, Chuck (September 8, 2007). "Rare Image of a Common Crater". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved 2007-09-10.