Endymion (crater)
Encyclopedia
Endymion is a lunar
crater
that lies near the northeast limb of the Moon
. It is located to the east of Mare Frigoris
, and north of the Lacus Temporis
. To the southwest is the somewhat smaller crater Atlas
. Because of its location, Endymion has an oval appearance from foreshortening. Beyond the crater along the lunar limb is the Mare Humboldtianum
.
The floor of Endymion has been covered in low-albedo
lava
that gives it a dark appearance and makes it relatively easy to locate. The floor is nearly smooth and featureless, with only a few tiny craterlets located within the rim. A string of three lie near the northwestern inner wall. Faint streaks of ray material
from Thales
to the north-northwest crosses the dark floor. The outer rampart is low, wide, and worn from impact erosion.
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 lies near the northeast limb 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...
. It is located to the east of Mare Frigoris
Mare Frigoris
Mare Frigoris is a lunar mare located just north of Mare Imbrium, and stretches east to north of Mare Serenitatis. The mare is in the outer rings of the Procellarum basin...
, and north of the Lacus Temporis
Lacus Temporis
Lacus Temporis is a small lunar mare that is located in the northeastern quadrant of the Moon's near side. The selenographic coordinates of this feature are , and it lies within a diameter of 117 km....
. To the southwest is the somewhat smaller crater Atlas
Atlas (crater)
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 crater Hercules. Northeast of Atlas is the large Endymion....
. Because of its location, Endymion has an oval appearance from foreshortening. Beyond the crater along the lunar limb is the Mare Humboldtianum
Mare Humboldtianum
Mare Humboldtianum is a lunar mare located within the Humboldtianum basin, just to the east of Mare Frigoris. It is located along the northeastern limb of the Moon, and continues on to the far side...
.
The floor of Endymion has been covered in low-albedo
Albedo
Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it...
lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
that gives it a dark appearance and makes it relatively easy to locate. The floor is nearly smooth and featureless, with only a few tiny craterlets located within the rim. A string of three lie near the northwestern inner wall. Faint streaks of ray material
Ray system
A ray system comprises radial streaks of fine ejecta thrown out during the formation of an impact crater, looking a bit like many thin spokes coming from the hub of a wheel. The rays can extend for lengths up to several times the diameter of their originating crater, and are often accompanied by...
from Thales
Thales (crater)
Thales is a small crater located in the northeast part of the Moon, just to the west of the larger crater Strabo. To the southeast is the walled plain De La Rue. Thales has a sharp, circular rim that has received little erosion. The lunar surface around Thales has a ray system that extends for over...
to the north-northwest crosses the dark floor. The outer rampart is low, wide, and worn from impact erosion.
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 Endymion.| Endymion | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 54.7° N | 62.8° E | 30 km |
| B | 59.8° N | 67.2° E | 59 km |
| C | 58.4° N | 60.8° E | 32 km |
| D | 52.4° N | 62.4° E | 20 km |
| E | 53.6° N | 66.2° E | 18 km |
| F | 56.9° N | 65.1° E | 12 km |
| G | 56.4° N | 55.6° E | 15 km |
| H | 51.1° N | 56.3° E | 14 km |
| J | 53.5° N | 50.7° E | 67 km |
| K | 51.3° N | 52.3° E | 7 km |
| L | 55.4° N | 71.0° E | 9 km |
| M | 52.7° N | 70.9° E | 9 km |
| N | 52.4° N | 69.6° E | 9 km |
| W | 52.7° N | 69.2° E | 10 km |
| X | 52.9° N | 50.1° E | 6 km |
| Y | 55.8° N | 58.0° E | 8 km |