Lassell (lunar crater)

Lassell is a small lunar impact crater that is located in the eastern part of the Mare Nubium. It was named after British astronomer William Lassell.[1] It lies to the west of the crater Alpetragius and southwest of Alphonsus.

Oblique view of Lassell from Apollo 16, facing south
Oblique view of vicinity of Lassell from Apollo 12, with Davy in the foreground
Oblique view of Lassell C (center) and the Lassell Massif (left), from Apollo 16
This article is about the crater on the Moon. For the Martian crater, see Lassell (Martian crater).
Lassell
Coordinates15.5°S 7.9°W / -15.5; -7.9
Diameter23 km
Depth0.9 km
Colongitude8° at sunrise
EponymWilliam Lassell

Description

The interior of Lassell has been flooded and resurfaced by lava, leaving a nearly flat surface with a low remaining outer rim. The surface has a low albedo, giving the interior a dark appearance. The surviving outer wall is generally circular but with a somewhat polygonal shape.

To the east-northeast is a circular, bowl-shaped crater designated Lassell B. This formation has a higher albedo than its surroundings and so appears relatively bright, especially at high sun angles.

The tiny crater Lassell D is located to the west-northwest of Lassell, about halfway to the ruined crater Guericke. This craterlet is surrounded by a patch of high-albedo surface, and is an example of a prominent lunar bright patch. The light hue is thought to be an indication of recent formation, at least in lunar geological terms.

To the west of Lassell is a small highland area called the Lassell Massif, which has a reddish color relative to the surrounding mare.[2]

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 Lassell.

Lassell Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 16.8° S 6.8° W 3 km
B 16.1° S 7.7° W 4 km
C 14.7° S 9.3° W 9 km
D 14.5° S 10.5° W 2 km
E 18.2° S 10.2° W 5 km
F 17.1° S 12.5° W 5 km
G 14.8° S 9.0° W 7 km
H 14.5° S 11.2° W 5 km
J 14.8° S 10.4° W 4 km
K 15.1° S 8.9° W 4 km
M 14.2° S 8.8° W 3 km
S 18.2° S 8.5° W 4 km
T 17.1° S 8.8° W 2 km

References
  1. "Lassell (lunar crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. Color of the Lassell Massif, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter article by J. D. Stopar, September 12, 2016
  • Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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  • McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 2007-10-24.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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