Capella (crater)
 Apollo 16 image | |
| Coordinates | 7°36′S 34°54′E / 7.6°S 34.9°E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 48.13[1] km |
| Depth | 3.5 km |
| Colongitude | 325° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Martianus Capella |
Capella is a lunar impact crater 48 km (30 mi) in diameter that lies to the north of the Mare Nectaris, in a rugged region with many small impact craters. It intrudes slightly into the eastern rim of the crater Isidorus, a feature only slightly smaller in diameter.[2]: 79
The wall of Capella is low but relatively thick and irregular, with a large promontory intruding on the south-eastern side.[3] The crater is crossed by a deep rift, the Vallis Capella, which passes directly through Capella from the north rim through the southeast side of the wall, and extends out both sides for a combined distance of 110 kilometers. This feature was formed by a chain of craters.[4] In the middle of the crater is a wide, round peak rising 1.2 km above the crater floor, with a craterlet at the top.[5][3] The western side of the crater is dotted with impact debris, forming clusters of small hills.
This crater was named after Roman astronomer Martianus Capella. Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.[1]
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 Capella.
| Capella[2]: 294 | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 7.6° S | 37.2° E | 13 km |
| B | 9.4° S | 36.8° E | 10 km |
| C | 5.7° S | 36.3° E | 11 km |
| D | 6.7° S | 37.6° E | 8 km |
| E | 7.5° S | 37.7° E | 16 km |
| F | 9.2° S | 35.4° E | 14 km |
| G | 6.8° S | 36.9° E | 12 km |
| H | 8.1° S | 37.4° E | 9 km |
| J | 9.4° S | 36.0° E | 9 km |
| M | 4.4° S | 37.0° E | 12 km |
| R | 6.0° S | 35.2° E | 7 km |
| T | 6.9° S | 34.2° E | 6 km |
References
- ^ a b "Cantor". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ^ a b Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
- ^ a b Wlasuk, Peter T. (2013). Observing the Moon. The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4471-0483-4.
- ^ Wood, Charles A. (October 5, 2006). "Land of Manna". Lunar Photo of the Day. Retrieved 2026-04-26. Shows the region around Capella and discusses Capella Valley.
- ^ Lawrence, Pete (April 7, 2025). "How to see the spear-shaped rift on the Moon known as Vallis Capella". BBC Sky at Night. BBC. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
Sources
- Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
- 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. Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. 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.
- Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
External links
- Capella, the-moon.us
Valleys on the Moon | ||
|---|---|---|
| Valleys |
|  |