 Lunar Orbiter 4 image | |
| Coordinates | 38°06′S 4°54′E / 38.1°S 4.9°E / -38.1; 4.9 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 65 km |
| Depth | 1.8 km |
| Colongitude | 356° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Jean Fernel |
Fernelius is a lunar impact crater located in the southern highlands just to the north of the walled plain Stöfler. It was named after 16th century French astronomer Jean Fernel. The crater Kaiser is located next to the northwest rim of Fernelius. To the north-northwest are the craters Nonius and Walther. Southeast of Fernelius is the crater cluster of Miller, Nasireddin, Huggins, and Orontius.
In the past the floor of Fernelius has been resurfaced, leaving a relatively flat, featureless surface with no central peaks. The crater rim has been heavily worn and indented by impacts, the most prominent being Fernelius A which intrudes into the western rim.
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 Fernelius.
| Fernelius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 38.3° S | 3.5° E | 30 km |
| B | 37.4° S | 4.1° E | 10 km |
| C | 38.9° S | 4.4° E | 7 km |
| D | 38.2° S | 6.2° E | 7 km |
| E | 38.3° S | 6.6° E | 6 km |
References
- "Fernelius (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.
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- 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.
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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.
- Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
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