Maury (crater)
Encyclopedia
Maury is a small lunar
impact crater
named for two cousins. It was first named in honor of Lieutenant Matthew Fontaine Maury
of the U. S. Naval Observatory and later shared to honor Antonia Maury
of Harvard College Observatory
. The crater lies in the northeastern part of the Moon
, just to the east of the Lacus Somniorum
. The nearest named craters are Hall
to the southwest, and Cepheus
farther to the northeast. Just to the west of Maury is the lava
-flooded remains of the satellite crater Maury C.
This is a young bowl-shaped crater with a circular rim and a tiny flat floor at the mid-point. The surface of the floor has a cluster of small hills. The inner walls appear lighter than the surrounding terrain due to higher albedo
. This is normal for recently formed craters, and the interior will gradually grow darker due to space weathering.
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...
named for two cousins. It was first named in honor of Lieutenant Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury , United States Navy was an American astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, and educator....
of the U. S. Naval Observatory and later shared to honor Antonia Maury
Antonia Maury
Antonia Caetana de Paiva Pereira Maury was an American astronomer who published an important early catalog of stellar spectra.-Early life:Antonia Maury was born in Cold Spring, New York...
of Harvard College Observatory
Harvard College Observatory
The Harvard College Observatory is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and was founded in 1839...
. The crater lies in the northeastern 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...
, just to the east of the Lacus Somniorum
Lacus Somniorum
Lacus Somniorum is a plain located in the northeastern part of the Moon's near side. It is located at selenographic coordinates 38.0° N, 29.2° E, and has a diameter of 384 kilometers...
. The nearest named craters are Hall
Hall (lunar crater)
Hall is a lunar crater named in honor of American astronomer Asaph Hall that is located in the southeast part of the Lacus Somniorum, a lunar mare in the northeast part of the Moon. This feature can be found to the west of the prominent walled plain Posidonius. Just to the south, and nearly...
to the southwest, and Cepheus
Cepheus (crater)
Cepheus is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northeastern part of the Moon, within one crater diameter of the larger crater Franklin to the southeast. To the north-north-east is the flooded crater Oersted...
farther to the northeast. Just to the west of Maury is the lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
-flooded remains of the satellite crater Maury C.
This is a young bowl-shaped crater with a circular rim and a tiny flat floor at the mid-point. The surface of the floor has a cluster of small hills. The inner walls appear lighter than the surrounding terrain due to higher albedo
Albedo
Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it...
. This is normal for recently formed craters, and the interior will gradually grow darker due to space weathering.
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 Maury.| Maury | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 36.0° N | 41.8° E | 21 km |
| B | 35.1° N | 42.0° E | 9 km |
| C | 37.0° N | 38.6° E | 28 km |
| D | 38.2° N | 37.8° E | 8 km |
| J | 39.1° N | 40.1° E | 6 km |
| K | 39.5° N | 41.1° E | 5 km |
| L | 40.3° N | 42.5° E | 4 km |
| M | 40.8° N | 42.6° E | 16 km |
| N | 40.4° N | 41.9° E | 17 km |
| P | 39.9° N | 38.0° E | 12 km |
| T | 40.0° N | 43.3° E | 3 km |
| U | 39.3° N | 37.0° E | 5 km |