Deluc (crater)
Encyclopedia
Deluc is a lunar
impact crater
that lies in the southern highlands of the Moon
. It is located to the south-southeast of the crater Maginus
, and the huge Clavius
. Due east of Deluc is the somewhat larger crater Lilius
. It is 47 kilometers in diameter and 3.3 kilometers deep. It is from the Pre-Imbrian period
, which lasted from 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago.
This is a relatively worn formation with the satellite crater Deluc H intruding into the northeast rim. A triangular bulge of material covers the floor from the rim of this intruding crater to near the mid-point of the interior. The small craterlet Deluc T is attached to the southern outer rim of Deluc, and joins it to the small Deluc D to the south.
The remaining rim of Deluc is not quite circular, having a slight outward bulge to the northwest. The interior is worn and smoothed from a history of tiny impacts, although the edge is still well-defined. There is a tiny craterlet in the northeast part of the interior, but most of the remainder of the floor is level and marked only by tiny impacts.
The crater is named for Jean-André Deluc
, an 18th century Swiss
geologist and physicist.
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...
impact 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 lies in the southern highlands 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...
. It is located to the south-southeast of the crater Maginus
Maginus (crater)
Maginus is an ancient lunar impact crater located in the southern highlands to the southeast of the prominent crater Tycho. It is a large formation almost three quarters the diameter of Clavius, which lies to the southwest...
, and the huge Clavius
Clavius (crater)
Clavius is one of the largest crater formations on the Moon, and it is the third largest crater on the visible near side. It is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon, to the south of the prominent ray crater Tycho.- Description :...
. Due east of Deluc is the somewhat larger crater Lilius
Lilius (crater)
Lilius is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. It lies to the north of the crater Zach, and south-southwest of Cuvier. Just to the southeast is the slightly larger Jacobi...
. It is 47 kilometers in diameter and 3.3 kilometers deep. It is from the Pre-Imbrian period
Lunar geologic timescale
The lunar geological timescale divides the history of Earth's Moon into five generally recognized periods: the Copernican, Eratosthenian, Imbrian , Nectarian, and Pre-Nectarian...
, which lasted from 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago.
This is a relatively worn formation with the satellite crater Deluc H intruding into the northeast rim. A triangular bulge of material covers the floor from the rim of this intruding crater to near the mid-point of the interior. The small craterlet Deluc T is attached to the southern outer rim of Deluc, and joins it to the small Deluc D to the south.
The remaining rim of Deluc is not quite circular, having a slight outward bulge to the northwest. The interior is worn and smoothed from a history of tiny impacts, although the edge is still well-defined. There is a tiny craterlet in the northeast part of the interior, but most of the remainder of the floor is level and marked only by tiny impacts.
The crater is named for Jean-André Deluc
Jean-André Deluc
Jean-André Deluc or de Luc was a Swiss geologist and meteorologist.-Life:He was born at Geneva, descended from a family which had emigrated from Lucca and settled at Geneva in the 15th century...
, an 18th century Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
geologist and physicist.
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 Deluc.| Deluc | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 54.1° S | 0.4° W | 56 km |
| B | 52.0° S | 0.5° E | 38 km |
| C | 51.4° S | 0.9° E | 28 km |
| D | 56.4° S | 2.4° W | 27 km |
| E | 60.3° S | 4.3° W | 12 km |
| F | 60.0° S | 3.1° W | 38 km |
| G | 61.6° S | 0.7° E | 27 km |
| H | 54.2° S | 2.1° W | 26 km |
| J | 53.3° S | 4.1° W | 33 km |
| L | 60.8° S | 6.2° E | 8 km |
| M | 54.9° S | 6.2° W | 19 km |
| N | 60.6° S | 0.5° E | 10 km |
| O | 62.7° S | 4.4° W | 7 km |
| P | 58.9° S | 4.8° W | 7 km |
| Q | 59.0° S | 3.5° W | 5 km |
| R | 55.4° S | 0.6° E | 22 km |
| S | 61.9° S | 0.2° E | 6 km |
| T | 55.8° S | 3.1° W | 10 km |
| U | 59.0° S | 2.9° W | 5 km |
| V | 61.8° S | 1.7° E | 9 km |
| W | 61.6° S | 1.8° W | 6 km |