Pontanus (crater)
Encyclopedia
Pontanus is a lunar
crater
that is located in the southern highlands
of the Moon
's near side. It lies approximately mid-way between the craters Sacrobosco
to the north-northeast and Gemma Frisius
to the south-southwest. It is 58 kilometers in diameter and 2,120 meters deep.
The rim of this crater has been heavily worn by subsequent impacts, leaving a roughly circular, uneven slope about the interior. There is an outward protrusion in the rim to the south. The rim and inner wall to the north is less prominent, and is incised along the inner edge. The satellite crater Pontanus V is attached to the west-southwestern side. The interior floor is relatively uneven, particularly in the northern half, but is not marked by any significant craters. The crater is from the Pre-Nectarian
period, 4.55 to 3.92 billion years ago.
The crater is named after the 15th-century Italian poet Giovanni Pontano.
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 in the southern highlands
Highland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
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 approximately mid-way between the craters Sacrobosco
Sacrobosco (crater)
Sacrobosco is an irregular lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands to the west of the Rupes Altai escarpment. It is a readily identified feature due to the three circular craters that lie on its floor. The rim of Sacrobosco is heavily worn and eroded, especially in the...
to the north-northeast and Gemma Frisius
Gemma Frisius (crater)
Gemma Frisius is a lunar crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. It lies to the north of the walled plain Maurolycus, and southeast of the smaller crater Poisson. The crater Goodacre is attached to the northeast rim....
to the south-southwest. It is 58 kilometers in diameter and 2,120 meters deep.
The rim of this crater has been heavily worn by subsequent impacts, leaving a roughly circular, uneven slope about the interior. There is an outward protrusion in the rim to the south. The rim and inner wall to the north is less prominent, and is incised along the inner edge. The satellite crater Pontanus V is attached to the west-southwestern side. The interior floor is relatively uneven, particularly in the northern half, but is not marked by any significant craters. The crater is from the Pre-Nectarian
Nectarian
The Nectarian Period of the lunar geologic timescale runs from 3920 million years ago to 3850 million years ago. It is the period during which the Nectaris Basin and other major basins were formed by large impact events...
period, 4.55 to 3.92 billion years ago.
The crater is named after the 15th-century Italian poet Giovanni Pontano.
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 Pontanus.| Pontanus | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 31.1° S | 15.3° E | 10 km |
| B | 30.9° S | 15.9° E | 12 km |
| C | 30.0° S | 15.5° E | 23 km |
| D | 25.9° S | 13.2° E | 20 km |
| E | 25.2° S | 13.2° E | 13 km |
| F | 27.8° S | 11.6° E | 10 km |
| G | 30.6° S | 15.3° E | 21 km |
| H | 31.4° S | 16.1° E | 30 km |
| J | 30.0° S | 13.1° E | 9 km |
| K | 25.7° S | 12.7° E | 9 km |
| L | 28.6° S | 13.4° E | 6 km |
| M | 29.7° S | 14.1° E | 5 km |
| N | 24.6° S | 13.8° E | 10 km |
| O | 26.0° S | 14.1° E | 10 km |
| P | 29.9° S | 14.8° E | 3 km |
| Q | 27.4° S | 14.5° E | 5 km |
| R | 28.1° S | 15.6° E | 6 km |
| S | 31.4° S | 16.8° E | 7 km |
| T | 29.2° S | 16.6° E | 8 km |
| U | 29.5° S | 17.5° E | 5 km |
| V | 29.2° S | 13.2° E | 33 km |
| W | 29.1° S | 17.6° E | 7 km |
| X | 28.5° S | 15.8° E | 13 km |
| Y | 28.7° S | 17.2° E | 23 km |
| Z | 27.9° S | 12.9° E | 5 km |