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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Sommerfeld (crater)
Sommerfeld is a sizable lunar impact crater situated in the far northern latitudes of the Moon. Located on the far side, it can only be observed from orbit. Positioned to the south of Sommerfeld is Rowland, a crater about the same size as Sommerfeld. Southeast of Sommerfeld lies the huge walled plain Birkhoff.

This crater is classified as a walled plain on the lunar surface, characterized by a relatively flat interior encircled by a ring mountain. Its outer rim exhibits moderate erosion, retaining traces of a terrace structure albeit softened and rounded. Along the rim edge and inner wall to the south and southeast, several small craterlets are present. Additionally, a merged pair of small craters is attached to the southern outer rim. The inner wall appears slightly wider along the eastern side, possibly due to deposits of ejecta from nearby impacts.

The interior floor of Sommerfeld consists of a nearly level plain, likely smoothed out by deposits of materials over time. Some small craters are observed on the eastern edge of the interior. Notably, there is no central peak complex, with only a small hill present at the midpoint.

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 Sommerfeld.

Sommerfeld Latitude Longitude Diameter
N 62.3° N 162.2° W 39 km
V 66.9° N 170.3° W 32 km

References

  • Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
  • Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature". USGS. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
  • Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
  • Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 978-0-936389-27-1.
  • McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
  • Menzel, D. H.; Minnaert, M.; Levin, B.; Dollfus, A.; Bell, B. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews. 12 (2): 136–186. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.
  • Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
  • Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.
  • Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
  • Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.
  • Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
  • Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
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