Hell (crater)
Encyclopedia
Hell is a lunar crater in the south of the Moon
's near side, within the western half of the enormous walled plain Deslandres
. To the southeast, also within Deslandres, is the larger crater Lexell
, and about 9° to the south lies the prominent Tycho
crater. The crater received its name in 1935 after the Hungarian astronomer and ordained Jesuit
priest
Maximilian Hell
. It has 19 satellite craters with diameters ranging between about 3 and 22 km. Nearly all Hell craters are relatively flat and shallow, with a sharp, well-defined rim and a typical diameter-to-depth ratio of about 10.
Nineteen satellite craters were found near Hell. Whereas many of them were described in the 19th century, their naming was officially recognized by the IAU only in 2006. They are labeled by capital Latin letters following the nomenclature established by Johann Heinrich von Mädler
in the 1820s. However, their order is not systematic, either by diameter, by distance from the central crater or by the azimuthal angle, as agreed for some other lunar craters. Their shape is similar to that of the main crater, with nearly flat bottom, nearly round shape and a distinct thin rim. Hell A, B and C – the largest satellites – have one irregularity in the rim for each crater, facing south-west, north-west and south, respectively. Whereas most Hell satellites are separated from one another, Hell L and M merge forming an elongated shape. The rim is rather diffuse in Hell T, V and W and could have been smoothened by the ejecta of the main Hell crater. Letters I and O are omitted in the modern nomenclature, in order to keep the number of available symbols 24, that is equal to the number of azimuthal sectors (clock system). However, the reason for lacking Hell D, F, G is uncertain. Hell Q has two sub-satellites, 7 and 8 o'clock from it. These three craters, all of similar size, were sometimes referred to as Q, QA and QB, but only one was recognized by the IAU in 2006, and named Hell Q. It is a relatively recent crater with the age estimated as younger than that of Tycho, that is younger than about 108 million years.
priest
Maximilian Hell
(1720–1792). The name was first given by Johann Hieronymus Schröter to the entire plane, Hell plane, which is now known as Deslandres, but Mädler reassigned it to the crater. It was officially recognized by Mary Adela Blagg
and Karl Müller in the first official version of the International Astronomical Union
(IAU) nomenclature for lunar features in 1935. Hell B was previously known as Schupmann and Hell Q as Cassini's Bright Spot.
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...
's near side, within the western half of the enormous walled plain Deslandres
Deslandres (crater)
Deslandres is the heavily worn and distorted remains of a lunar impact crater. It is located to the southeast of the Mare Nubium, in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. In dimension it is the second-largest crater formation on the visible Moon, being beaten only by the 303-kilometer-diameter...
. To the southeast, also within Deslandres, is the larger crater Lexell
Lexell (crater)
Lexell is a lunar crater that lies across the southeastern rim of the huge walled plain Deslandres, in the southern part of the Moon. To the northeast is the walled plain Walther, and to the south is Orontius, another walled plain....
, and about 9° to the south lies the prominent Tycho
Tycho (crater)
Tycho is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the southern lunar highlands, named after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe . To the south is the crater Street; to the east is Pictet, and to the north-northeast is Sasserides. The surface around Tycho is replete with craters of various sizes,...
crater. The crater received its name in 1935 after the Hungarian astronomer and ordained Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
Maximilian Hell
Maximilian Hell
Maximilian Hell, S.J. was a Hungarian astronomer and an ordained Jesuit priest from the Kingdom of Hungary.- Biography :...
. It has 19 satellite craters with diameters ranging between about 3 and 22 km. Nearly all Hell craters are relatively flat and shallow, with a sharp, well-defined rim and a typical diameter-to-depth ratio of about 10.
Description
Hell is somewhat circular but with an outward bulge along the western rim. The interior floor is rolling and uneven, with a several hills and a central peak about 1 km tall. The sharp-edged rim is not significantly eroded, and has a narrow inner wall; it is 2–3 times higher on the north-west than on the east where it rises by about 820 meters.Satellite craters
| Hell | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter, km | Depth, km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 33.91° S | 8.51° W | 20.3 | |
| B | 30.04° S | 5.87° W | 21.55 | 0.63 |
| C | 34.11° S | 6.59° W | 13.96 | |
| E | 34.64° S | 6.59° W | 9.32 | |
| H | 31.75° S | 3.9° W | 4.87 | 0.41 |
| J | 29.7° S | 6.96° W | 5.19 | |
| K | 34.11° S | 5.4° W | 4.82 | |
| L | 30.68° S | 4.79° W | 5.33 | 0.38 |
| M | 30.36° S | 4.82° W | 8.15 | 0.5 |
| N | 30.07° S | 5.07° W | 3.45 | |
| P | 32.56° S | 5.85° W | 3.42 | |
| Q | 33.0° S | 4.55° W | 3.75 | |
| R | 32.73° S | 6.66° W | 3.02 | |
| S | 33.54° S | 6.36° W | 3.73 | |
| T | 33.71° S | 7.13° W | 5.12 | |
| U | 33.42° S | 9.28° W | 4.21 | 0.54 |
| V | 32.82° S | 8.88° W | 7.16 | |
| W | 32.54° S | 8.73° W | 7.87 | |
| X | 31.98° S | 9.27° W | 4.23 |
Nineteen satellite craters were found near Hell. Whereas many of them were described in the 19th century, their naming was officially recognized by the IAU only in 2006. They are labeled by capital Latin letters following the nomenclature established by Johann Heinrich von Mädler
Johann Heinrich von Mädler
Johann Heinrich von Mädler was a German astronomer.He was orphaned at age 19 by an outbreak of typhus, and found himself responsible for raising three younger sisters...
in the 1820s. However, their order is not systematic, either by diameter, by distance from the central crater or by the azimuthal angle, as agreed for some other lunar craters. Their shape is similar to that of the main crater, with nearly flat bottom, nearly round shape and a distinct thin rim. Hell A, B and C – the largest satellites – have one irregularity in the rim for each crater, facing south-west, north-west and south, respectively. Whereas most Hell satellites are separated from one another, Hell L and M merge forming an elongated shape. The rim is rather diffuse in Hell T, V and W and could have been smoothened by the ejecta of the main Hell crater. Letters I and O are omitted in the modern nomenclature, in order to keep the number of available symbols 24, that is equal to the number of azimuthal sectors (clock system). However, the reason for lacking Hell D, F, G is uncertain. Hell Q has two sub-satellites, 7 and 8 o'clock from it. These three craters, all of similar size, were sometimes referred to as Q, QA and QB, but only one was recognized by the IAU in 2006, and named Hell Q. It is a relatively recent crater with the age estimated as younger than that of Tycho, that is younger than about 108 million years.
History and etymology
The crater was named after the Hungarian astronomer and an ordained JesuitSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
Maximilian Hell
Maximilian Hell
Maximilian Hell, S.J. was a Hungarian astronomer and an ordained Jesuit priest from the Kingdom of Hungary.- Biography :...
(1720–1792). The name was first given by Johann Hieronymus Schröter to the entire plane, Hell plane, which is now known as Deslandres, but Mädler reassigned it to the crater. It was officially recognized by Mary Adela Blagg
Mary Adela Blagg
Mary Adela Blagg was an English astronomer.She was born in Cheadle, Staffordshire, and lived her entire life there. Mary was the daughter of a solicitor, John Charles Blagg, and France Caroline Foottit. She trained herself in mathematics by reading her brother's textbooks...
and Karl Müller in the first official version of the International Astronomical Union
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...
(IAU) nomenclature for lunar features in 1935. Hell B was previously known as Schupmann and Hell Q as Cassini's Bright Spot.