Damoiseau (crater)
Encyclopedia
Damoiseau is a lunar
crater
that is located just to the west of the Oceanus Procellarum
, in the western part of the Moon
's near side. It lies due east of the prominent crater Grimaldi
, a walled plain with a distinctive dark floor. Due south of Damoiseau is the crater Sirsalis
.
The low outer rim of Damoiseau is not quite circular, having an outward protrusion to the northeast and smaller bulges to the north and southeast. The interior floor is irregular and complex, with a series of ridges and small clefts. The crater is concentric with a larger, unnamed formation that is approximately twice the diameter. This outer feature is missing a rim to the northeast where it intersects the lunar mare
.
To the southeast is a rille
system named the Rimae Grimaldi. This continues to the west and south, for a maximum dimension of 230 kilometers.
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
that is located just to the west of the Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Earth's Moon. Its name derives from the old superstition that its appearance during the second quarter heralded bad weather...
, in the western part of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
's near side. It lies due east of the prominent crater Grimaldi
Grimaldi (crater)
Grimaldi is a large basin located near the western limb of the Moon. It lies to the southwest of the Oceanus Procellarum, and southeast of the crater Riccioli...
, a walled plain with a distinctive dark floor. Due south of Damoiseau is the crater Sirsalis
Sirsalis (crater)
Sirsalis is a relatively young lunar impact crater located near the western lunar limb, to the southwest of the Oceanus Procellarum. The crater lies across a ridge that runs in a north–south direction. It has a sharp edge and a low central peak...
.
The low outer rim of Damoiseau is not quite circular, having an outward protrusion to the northeast and smaller bulges to the north and southeast. The interior floor is irregular and complex, with a series of ridges and small clefts. The crater is concentric with a larger, unnamed formation that is approximately twice the diameter. This outer feature is missing a rim to the northeast where it intersects the lunar mare
Lunar mare
The lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
.
To the southeast is a rille
Rille
Rille is typically used to describe any of the long, narrow depressions in the lunar surface that resemble channels. Typically a rille can be up to several kilometers wide and hundreds of kilometers in length...
system named the Rimae Grimaldi. This continues to the west and south, for a maximum dimension of 230 kilometers.
Satellite craters
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Damoiseau.| Damoiseau | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 6.3° S | 62.4° W | 47 km |
| B | 8.6° S | 61.6° W | 23 km |
| BA | 8.3° S | 59.0° W | 9 km |
| C | 9.1° S | 62.5° W | 15 km |
| D | 6.4° S | 63.3° W | 17 km |
| E | 5.2° S | 58.3° W | 14 km |
| F | 7.9° S | 62.1° W | 11 km |
| G | 2.5° S | 55.6° W | 4 km |
| H | 3.8° S | 59.8° W | 45 km |
| J | 4.1° S | 62.0° W | 7 km |
| K | 4.6° S | 60.4° W | 23 km |
| L | 4.5° S | 59.3° W | 14 km |
| M | 5.1° S | 61.3° W | 54 km |