Autolycus (crater)

Autolycus

Coordinates 30°42′N 1°30′E / 30.7°N 1.5°E / 30.7; 1.5Coordinates: 30°42′N 1°30′E / 30.7°N 1.5°E / 30.7; 1.5
Diameter 39 km
Depth 3.4 km
Colongitude 358° at sunrise
Eponym Autolycus
Autolycus (bottom) and Aristillus (top) from Apollo 15 Mapping camera.
Oblique view of Autolycus from Apollo 15 Panoramic camera.

Autolycus is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southeast part of Mare Imbrium. West of the formation is Archimedes, a formation more than double the size of Autolycus. Just to the north is Aristillus, and the outer ramparts of these two craters overlap in the intermediate stretch of the lunar mare.

The rim of Autolycus is somewhat irregular, although generally circular overall. It has a small outer rampart and an irregular interior with no central peak. It possesses a light ray system that extends for a distance of over 400 kilometers. Due to its rays, Autolycus is mapped as part of the Copernican System.[1] Some of the ray material appears to overlay the flooded floor of Archimedes, and thus Autolycus is older than Archimedes. Aristillus (to the north), however, has rays that overlay both Autolycus and Archimedes, and thus it is the youngest of the three craters.

The Luna 2 probe crash-landed just to the west-southwest of the crater rim, according to the claim of one Hungarian astronomer who claimed to see an explosion of dust.

Detail map of Mare Imbrium's features. Autolycus is the feature marked "F".

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 Autolycus.

Autolycus Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 30.9° N 2.2° E 4 km
K 31.2° N 5.4° E 3 km

References

  1. ↑ The geologic history of the Moon, 1987, Wilhelms, Don E.; with sections by McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. USGS Professional Paper: 1348. Plate 11: Copernican System (online)
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  • 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. 
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  • Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1. 
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