| Crater characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46.7° N, 44.4° E |
| Diameter | 87 km |
| Depth | 2.0 km |
| Colongitude | 316° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Atlas |
Atlas is a prominent lunar impact crater that is located in the northeast part of the Moon, to the southeast of Mare Frigoris. Just to the west is the slightly smaller but still prominent Hercules crater. Northeast of Atlas is the large Endymion crater. The inner wall of the Atlas crater multiply terraced and the edge slumped, forming a sharp-edged lip. This is a floor-fractured crater with a rough and hilly interior that has a lighter albedo than the surroundings. Floor-fractures are usually created as a result of volcanic modifications. There are two dark patches along the inner edge of the walls; one along the north edge and another besides the southeast edges. A system of slender clefts named the Rimae Atlas crosses the crater floor, and were created by volcanism. Along the north and northeastern inner sides are a handful of dark-halo craters, most likely formed due to eruptions. Around the mid-point is a cluster of low central hills arranged in a circular formation.
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 Atlas crater.
| Atlas | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 45.3° N | 49.6° E | 22 km |
| B | 50.4° N | 49.6° E | 25 km |
| C | 48.6° N | 42.5° E | 58 km |
| D | 50.7° N | 46.5° E | 23 km |
| E | 51.3° N | 48.6° E | 6 km |
| F | 49.6° N | 52.7° E | 27 km |
| G | 44.4° N | 44.2° E | 4 km |
| H | 45.1° N | 45.0° E | 5 km |
References
- Wood, Chuck (2005-04-03). Atlas Alone. Lunar Photo of the Day. Retrieved on 2006-07-21.
- SMART-1 image of crater Atlas. ESA/SPACE X (2006-02-03). Retrieved on 2006-09-20.
- Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A., (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
- Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
- Bussey, B.; Spudis, P., (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-81528-2.
- Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 0-936389-27-3.
- McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). Lunar Nomenclature. Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved on 2007-10-24.
- Menzel, D. H.; Minnaert, M.; Levin, B.; Dollfus, A.; Bell, B. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by The Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews 12: 136.
- Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co.. ISBN 0-304-35469-4.
- Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon observer's handbook. Cambridge University Press.
- Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-913135-17-8.
- Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes, 6th revision, Dover. ISBN 0-486-20917-2.
- Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62248-4.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 1852331933.
