Hortensius (crater)
Hortensius is a small, bowl-shaped lunar impact crater that is located in the northern part of the Mare Insularum. It was named after 17th century Dutch astronomer Martin van den Hove (Latinized as Martinus Hortensius).[1]
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 Lunar Orbiter 4 image (Note also lunar dome at top center) | |
| Coordinates | 6.5°N 28.0°W |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 15 km (9 mi) |
| Depth | 2.9 km (1.8 mi) |
| Colongitude | 28° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Martin van den Hove |
It lies some distance to the west-southwest of the prominent crater Copernicus. Hortensius is circular and cup-shaped, with a small floor at the midpoint of the sloping interior walls. The interior has a higher albedo than the surrounding lunar mare, despite traces of ray material from Copernicus.
To the north of this feature is a collection of six lunar domes, many having a tiny craterlet at the summit. These are shield volcanoes that were formed by a highly viscous type of lava. The domes are generally circular in form, with a diameter of 6–8 kilometers (4–5 mi), and rising as high as 400 meters (1300 ft). They are formed of the same material as the surrounding mare, although from a different process.
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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 Hortensius.
| Hortensius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter (km) | Diameter (mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.4° N | 30.7° W | 10 km | 6 mi |
| B | 5.3° N | 29.5° W | 6 km | 4 mi |
| C | 6.0° N | 26.7° W | 7 km | 4 mi |
| D | 5.4° N | 32.3° W | 6 km | 4 mi |
| E | 5.2° N | 25.4° W | 15 km | 9 mi |
| F | 7.1° N | 25.6° W | 6 km | 4 mi |
| G | 8.1° N | 26.1° W | 4 km | 2½ mi |
| H | 5.9° N | 31.1° W | 6 km | 4 mi |
Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Hortensius A
Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Hortensius E
References
- "Hortensius (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
- Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. 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. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.
- 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.
- 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.