Euclides (crater)
Encyclopedia
Euclides is a small lunar
impact crater
located near the eastern edge of Oceanus Procellarum
, about 30 kilometers to the west of the Montes Riphaeus
mountains. The mare
in the vicinity is devoid of significant craters, but to the west is an area of low rises. The crater is named after the Greek
mathematician
Euclid
.
Euclides is a bowl-shaped formation with a circular rim. It is surrounded by streaks of ejecta that have a higher albedo
than the nearby maria. This nebulous skirt of light-hued material makes this feature very prominent under a high Sun, and it is one of the brightest sites on the Moon
.
impact crater
in the Mare Cognitum
. It has a diameter of 6 kilometers and a depth of 1.3 kilometers. It lies to the southeast of Euclides, beyond the Montes Riphaeus
mountains.
In 1976, Euclides D was renamed Eppinger by the IAU
to honor Hans Eppinger
, a professor of pathological
anatomy
at Graz
. However in 2002, after Eppinger's association with Nazi prison camps had been brought to the attention of the IAU's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature, the name was changed.
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU
.
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...
impact 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...
located near the eastern edge of Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Earth's Moon. Its name derives from the old superstition that its appearance during the second quarter heralded bad weather...
, about 30 kilometers to the west of the Montes Riphaeus
Montes Riphaeus
Montes Riphaeus is an irregular range of lunar mountains that lie along the west-northwestern edge of Mare Cognitum, on the southeastern edge of Oceanus Procellarum. The range trends generally from north-northeast to south-southwest...
mountains. The mare
Lunar mare
The lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
in the vicinity is devoid of significant craters, but to the west is an area of low rises. The crater is named after the Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
Euclid
Euclid
Euclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry". He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
.
Euclides is a bowl-shaped formation with a circular rim. It is surrounded by streaks of ejecta that have a higher 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...
than the nearby maria. This nebulous skirt of light-hued material makes this feature very prominent under a high Sun, and it is one of the brightest sites on 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...
.
Euclides D
Euclides D is a small lunarMoon
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...
impact 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...
in the Mare Cognitum
Mare Cognitum
Mare Cognitum is a lunar mare located in a basin or large crater which sits in the second ring of the Procellarum basin. The basin material is of the Lower Imbrian epoch, while the basaltic mare material is of the Upper Imbrian epoch...
. It has a diameter of 6 kilometers and a depth of 1.3 kilometers. It lies to the southeast of Euclides, beyond the Montes Riphaeus
Montes Riphaeus
Montes Riphaeus is an irregular range of lunar mountains that lie along the west-northwestern edge of Mare Cognitum, on the southeastern edge of Oceanus Procellarum. The range trends generally from north-northeast to south-southwest...
mountains.
In 1976, Euclides D was renamed Eppinger by the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
to honor Hans Eppinger
Hans Eppinger
Hans Eppinger Jr. was an Austrian physician who gained an infamous reputation due to experiments on prisoners.-Early Years:...
, a professor of pathological
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
at Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
. However in 2002, after Eppinger's association with Nazi prison camps had been brought to the attention of the IAU's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature, the name was changed.
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 Euclides.| Euclides | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 13.2° S | 30.0° W | 10 km |
| D | 9.4° S | 25.7° W | 6 km |
| E | 6.3° S | 25.1° W | 4 km |
| F | 6.3° S | 33.7° W | 5 km |
| J | 6.4° S | 28.5° W | 4 km |
| K | 4.2° S | 24.7° W | 6 km |
| M | 10.4° S | 28.2° W | 6 km |
| P | 4.5° S | 27.6° W | 66 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
.
- Euclides B — See NormanNorman (crater)Norman is a small lunar impact crater on the Oceanus Procellarum, to the south and slightly west of the crater Euclides. To the west-southwest is Herigonius. There are few other features of note in the vicinity, apart from some minor wrinkle ridges in the surface of the mare.Norman is a circular,...
.