) LRO image | |
| Coordinates | 20°06′N 70°36′E / 20.1°N 70.6°E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 112 km |
| Depth | None |
| Colongitude | 288° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Johann J. Balmer |
Balmer is the lava-flooded remains of a lunar impact crater. Only the heavily worn southern and eastern sections of the crater still survive; the remainder being overlaid by a lava flow that joins to the nearby mare. Balmer lies to the east-southeast of the crater Vendelinus.
Balmer was considered a Constellation Region of Interest.[1] Light plains deposits overly mare basalt, as evidenced by multiple dark-halo craters.[2]
Gallery
Oblique view facing west from Apollo 17
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One of the more interesting features within Balmer is this 1-km wide impact crater with a prominent ray system, photographed by Apollo 14
LRO image of the 1-km crater with rays within Balmer
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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 Balmer.
| Balmer | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| M | 20.7° S | 71.5° E | 5 km |
| N | 19.9° S | 69.9° E | 8 km |
| P | 20.4° S | 67.7° E | 13 km |
| Q | 18.7° S | 70.5° E | 7 km |
| R | 18.7° S | 69.1° E | 4 km |
| S | 18.4° S | 67.6° E | 6 km |
References
- ^ Two-toned Impact Crater in Balmer Basin: A Reflection of the Target?, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera article, 26 March 2010.
- ^ Hawke, B. R., J. J. Gillis, T. A. Giguere, D. T. Blewett, D. J. Lawrence, P. G. Lucey, G. A. Smith, P. D. Supdis, G. J. Taylor (2005) Remote sensing and geologic studies of the Balmer-Kapteyn region of the Moon, Journal of Geophysical Research, 110. doi:10.1029/2004JE00283.
- Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
- Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature". USGS. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
- 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.
- 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.