Lacus Excellentiae
Encyclopedia
Lacus Excellentiae is a relatively small, irregular lunar mare
in the southern latitudes of the Moon
, amidst the rugged terrain to the south of the larger Mare Humorum
. The most prominent feature within the diameter of this basin is the small crater Clausius
.
The selenographic coordinates
of this feature are 35.4°S 44.0°W and it lies within a diameter of 184 km. The name of this lunar lake is a relatively recent addition to lunar nomenclature, being officially approved in 1976 by the IAU General Assembly
.
The Lacus Excellentiae was the impact site of the SMART-1
lunar orbiter. This probe impacted the lunar surface on September 3, 2006 and was observed by astronomer
s to determine the properties of the ejected materials.
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 southern latitudes 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...
, amidst the rugged terrain to the south of the larger Mare Humorum
Mare Humorum
Mare Humorum is a lunar mare. The impact basin it is located in is 825 kilometers across. It was not sampled by the Apollo program, so a precise age has not been determined. However, geological mapping indicates that it is intermediate in age between the Imbrium and Nectaris Basins, suggesting an...
. The most prominent feature within the diameter of this basin is the small crater Clausius
Clausius (crater)
Clausius is a lunar crater that is located in the southwest part of the Moon, in the small lunar mare designated Lacus Excellentiae. It is completely enclosed by mare material, although the tiny satellite crater Clausius A lies just to the north. The rim of Clausius is low and sharp, with a...
.
The selenographic coordinates
Selenographic coordinates
Selenographic coordinates are used to refer to locations on the surface of Earth's moon. Any position on the lunar surface can be referenced by specifying two numerical values, which are comparable to the latitude and longitude of Earth...
of this feature are 35.4°S 44.0°W and it lies within a diameter of 184 km. The name of this lunar lake is a relatively recent addition to lunar nomenclature, being officially approved in 1976 by the IAU General Assembly
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...
.
The Lacus Excellentiae was the impact site of the SMART-1
SMART-1
SMART-1 was a Swedish-designed European Space Agency satellite that orbited around the Moon. It was launched on September 27, 2003 at 23:14 UTC from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. "SMART" stands for Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology...
lunar orbiter. This probe impacted the lunar surface on September 3, 2006 and was observed by astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
s to determine the properties of the ejected materials.