Abel (crater)

Abel is an ancient lunar impact crater that lies near the southeast limb of the Moon's near side. It is located to the south of the crater Barnard, at the northwest edge of the Mare Australe.

Abel
Abel crater and satellite craters
Coordinates34.5°S 87.3°E / -34.5; 87.3
Diameter122 km
Depth1.19 km[1]
Colongitude276° at sunrise
EponymNiels Henrik Abel
Oblique view facing south from Apollo 15
Another oblique view from Apollo 14

The rim of Abel is heavily eroded and distorted in shape, forming a somewhat polygonal figure. It is incised and overlaid by past impacts. The satellite crater Abel A overlies the southern rim, while Abel M and Abel L intrude into the western wall.

The eastern floor of Abel has been resurfaced by past lava flows, leaving a relatively smooth, flat surface with a low albedo. The remains of a small crater rim protrude near the northeast wall. The western floor is rougher in texture and matches the albedo of the surrounding surface.

The crater was named for the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.

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 Abel.

Abel Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 36.6° S 86.0° E 19 km
B 36.7° S 82.8° E 41 km
C 36.0° S 81.0° E 31 km
D 37.7° S 87.7° E 30 km
E 37.8° S 86.5° E 13 km
J 35.5° S 79.0° E 11 km
K 35.0° S 77.2° E 9 km
L 34.4° S 82.6° E 67 km
M 32.2° S 83.6° E 81 km

References

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  • 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.
  • 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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