Proctor (lunar crater) explained

Coordinates:-46.4°N -5.1°W
Diameter:52 km
Depth:1.3 km
Colong:6
Eponym:Mary Proctor

Proctor is the remnant of a lunar impact crater that is located to the southeast of the prominent crater Tycho. It lies just to the north of the huge walled plain Maginus. To the north is the crater Saussure and to the northwest, just to the east of Tycho, lies Pictet. Proctor is 52km (32miles) in diameter and its walls are 1300m (4,300feet) high. It is from the Pre-Imbrian period, which lasted from 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago.[1] [2]

The outer rim of this crater has become heavily worn and eroded, and now forms a low, irregular rise around the interior floor. Much of the northwestern half of the rim is marked by a number of small craters, including Proctor D. The interior floor is somewhat level and is marked only by a few tiny impacts.[3]

The crater is named after the 20th-century American astronomy writer Mary Proctor.[1]

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 Proctor.[4]

Proctor LatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A47.0° S6.7° W8 km
B46.4° S6.7° W8 km
C47.7° S6.6° W5 km
D46.1° S6.0° W12 km
E45.4° S5.1° W8 km
F47.7° S5.2° W7 km
G47.7° S4.8° W7 km
H45.7° S2.5° W5 km

Notes and References

  1. Autostar Suite Astronomer Edition. CD-ROM. Meade, April 2006.
  2. Web site: IDENTIKIT . luna.e-cremona.it . October 25, 2007 .
  3. Book: Rükl, Antonín . Antonín Rükl

    . Antonín Rükl . 1990 . Atlas of the Moon . . 0-913135-17-8 .

  4. Book: Bussey, B. . Ben Bussey . Spudis, P. . Paul Spudis . 2004 . The Clementine Atlas of the Moon . . New York . 0-521-81528-2 .