Menelaus (crater)
Template:Short description Template:Infobox Lunar crater
Menelaus (Template:IPAc-en) is a young lunar impact crater located on the southern shore of Mare Serenitatis near the eastern end of the Montes Hæmus mountain range. Its diameter is 27 km.<ref name=gpn>Template:Gpn</ref> To the southwest is the small crater Auwers, and to the west-southwest is the even smaller Daubrée. To the northeast is a faint rille system named the Rimae Menelaus.
Description
The wall of Menelaus is slightly irregular in outline, with a high, sharp rim and terraced inner walls. The interior has a high albedo that is prominent under high sun angles. There are several ridges on the floor. It also has a moderate ray system, with the most prominent ray aligned to the north-northeast across the Mare Serenitatis. The location of this ray and slightly off-center central peak suggest an impact at a relatively low angle.
Names
Menelaus is named after the ancient Greek astronomer Menelaus of Alexandria.<ref name=gpn/> Like many of the craters on the Moon's near side, it was given its name by Giovanni Riccioli, whose 1651 nomenclature system has become standardized.<ref>Ewen A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon (Cambridge University Press, 1999), p.213.</ref> Earlier lunar cartographers had given the feature different names. Michael van Langren's 1645 map calls it "Mariae Imp. Rom." after Maria Anna, the Holy Roman Empress.<ref>Ewen A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon (Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 198.</ref> And Johannes Hevelius called it "Byzantium (urbs)" after the city of Byzantium.<ref>Ewen A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon (Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 202.</ref>
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 Menelaus.
| Menelaus | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 17.1° N | 13.4° E | 7 km |
| C | 14.8° N | 14.5° E | 4 km |
| D | 13.2° N | 16.3° E | 4 km |
| E | 13.6° N | 15.9° E | 3 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.
- Menelaus S - See Daubrée.
References
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External links
- LTO-42D3 Menelaus — L&PI topographic map
- Small crater at the Southern Rim of Menelaus - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter page - featuring the photo, an interactive photo and information
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- Template:Cite web - includes the crater Menelaus