Bandfield (crater)
Bandfield is a lunar impact crater that is located nearly on the border of the near side and far side of the Moon. It lies on the west rim of the crater Hirayama, near Hume and Swasey. The crater has a bright system of rays and is thus young (Copernican age).
.jpg.webp) Apollo 14 image | |
| Coordinates | 5.40°S 90.77°E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 1.0 km |
| Depth | 0.1 km[1] |
| Eponym | Joshua Bandfield |
Bandfield was discussed in the 1978 NASA publication Apollo Over the Moon: A View from Orbit, and this photo had the following caption:
Another fine example of a small crater with extensive bright rays. It presumably was formed by meteoroid impact. Both light and dark rocks are visible in the walls, indicating that more than one layer of rock was penetrated. Rays formed by secondary craters, blocks, and pulverized ejecta extend more than 13 crater diameters beyond the crater proper. The marked irregularity of the pattern southeast of the crater probably was caused by topographic irregularities that deflected the radially outward movement of the ejecta. Arrows indicate smaller bright-rayed craters.[2]
Another fine example of a small crater with extensive bright rays. It presumably was formed by meteoroid impact. Both light and dark rocks are visible in the walls, indicating that more than one layer of rock was penetrated. Rays formed by secondary craters, blocks, and pulverized ejecta extend more than 13 crater diameters beyond the crater proper. The marked irregularity of the pattern southeast of the crater probably was caused by topographic irregularities that deflected the radially outward movement of the ejecta. Arrows indicate smaller bright-rayed craters.[2]
The crater's name was approved by the IAU on 8 July 2022. It is named after the American planetary scientist Joshua Bandfield (1974-2019).[3] Bandfield worked on instruments on many spacecraft including OSIRIS-REx, 2001 Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Global Surveyor, and Mars Exploration Rovers.[4]
Apollo 17 image
References
- LTO-82A4 Hirayama — L&PI topographic map showing Bandfield
- Apollo Over the Moon: A view from Orbit, Chapter 5.2 (NASA SP-362, 1978)
- Bandfield Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
- JOSHUA L. BANDFIELD, 1974–2019
External links
- LTO-82A4 Hirayama — L&PI topographic map showing Bandfield
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