Blanchinus (crater) explained

Coordinates:	-25.4°N 2.5°W
Diameter:	58 × 68 km
Depth:	4.2 km
Colong:	358
Eponym:	Giovanni Bianchini

Blanchinus is a lunar impact crater in the rugged south-central highlands of the Moon. It is named after Italian astronomer Giovanni Bianchini whose Latinized name is Blanchinus. Adjacent to its south is the crater Werner, and La Caille is attached to the northwest rim. To its west is the prominent formation Purbach.

Blanchinus' outer rim has been significantly degraded by subsequent impacts, leaving an irregular, notched exterior ring of rugged hills and ridges. The inner floor, in contrast, is nearly flat and free of significant impacts. Only a few tiny craterlets mark it, with Blanchinus M near the midpoint and the remainder near the southwest rim.

For a few hours before the first quarter, the crater's rim contributes the lunar x visual phenomenon.

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 Blanchinus.

Blanchinus	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
B	25.2° S	1.6° E	8 km
D	25.0° S	4.2° E	7 km
K	24.8° S	5.1° E	9 km
M	25.2° S	2.6° E	5 km

References

• Book: Andersson . L. E. . Whitaker . E. A. . Ewen Whitaker . 1982 . NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature . NASA RP-1097 .
• Book: Bussey . B. . Ben Bussey . Spudis . P. . Paul Spudis . 2004 . The Clementine Atlas of the Moon . . New York . 978-0-521-81528-4 .
• Book: Cocks . Elijah E. . Cocks . Josiah C. . 1995 . Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature . Tudor Publishers . 978-0-936389-27-1 .
• Web site: McDowell . Jonathan . July 15, 2007 . Lunar Nomenclature . . 2007-10-24 .
• Menzel. D. H.. Minnaert. M.. Levin. B.. Dollfus. A.. Bell. B.. Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU. 10.1007/BF00171763. Space Science Reviews. 12. 2. 136–186. 1971. 1971SSRv...12..136M. 122125855.
• Book: Moore , Patrick . Patrick Moore . 2001 . On the Moon . . 978-0-304-35469-6 .
• Book: Price , Fred W. . 1988 . The Moon Observer's Handbook . Cambridge University Press . 978-0-521-33500-3 .
• Book: Rükl , Antonín . Antonín Rükl . 1990 . Atlas of the Moon . . 978-0-913135-17-4 .
• Book: Webb , Rev. T. W. . Thomas William Webb . 1962 . Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes . 6th revised . Dover . 978-0-486-20917-3 .
• Book: Whitaker , Ewen A. . Ewen Whitaker . 1999 . Mapping and Naming the Moon . Cambridge University Press . 978-0-521-62248-6 .
• Book: Wlasuk , Peter T. . 2000 . Observing the Moon . Springer . 978-1-85233-193-1 .

External links

• Web site: Nemiroff . Robert . Robert J. Nemiroff . Bonnell . Jerry . December 10, 2016 . The Lunar X . Astronomy Photo of the Day (APOD) .