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Tagged: Moon Lunar Coordinates
- This topic has 9 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 6 months ago by
Dr Paul Leyland.
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6 February 2023 at 3:29 pm #615560
Tor Schofield
ParticipantCan anyone explain the lunar coordinate system that places a feature at 41.79 North 311.61 East?
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6 February 2023 at 7:39 pm #615584Dr Paul Leyland
ParticipantWhat is that feature and what do you expect to be its coordinates?
Note that 311.61 East is equivalent, in most spherical coordinate systems, to 360-111.61 = 48.39 West.
6 February 2023 at 8:29 pm #615585Tor Schofield
ParticipantPaul, The feature is the silicic volcano Mairan T (41.79°N, 311.61°E). I was trying to understand those coordinates and locate it on a lunar map and in a lunar atlas. I will now take your suggested West coordinate and try and locate it.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by
Tor Schofield.
7 February 2023 at 8:04 am #615620Bill Barton
ParticipantMairan (co-longitude 44 degrees (sunrise)) is located in the Jura Mountains between Oceanus Procellarum to the west and Mare Imbrium to the east. Page 36 of our Handbook will tell you when it becomes visible (at sunrise) and invisible (at sunset). Mairan has a similar latitude to the prominent crater Plato, but is 34 degrees east of it. Mairan has a similar longitude to Aristarchus but is 18 degrees north of it.
7 February 2023 at 11:11 am #615624Dr Paul Leyland
ParticipantWikipedia to the rescue:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mairan_(crater)
has its location as 41.7° N 48.3° W.
Always worth checking with Wikipedia and DuckDuckGo for these sorts of questions.
Apologies for the typo 111.61 when I meant 311.61.
7 February 2023 at 11:39 am #615625Tor Schofield
ParticipantPaul, Thank you and I had seen that Wiki reference, but I was after Mairan T, not the lunar impact crater, Mairan, it’s a bit confusing. I’m interested in the lunar volcano, designated as ‘the silicic volcano Mairan’. Interestingly some descriptions give this as an impact crater or crater, but it’s not, more a collapsed volcano caldera.
7 February 2023 at 12:05 pm #615626Tor Schofield
ParticipantI have just noticed that cover photo to ‘Atlas if the Moon’ Wood and Collins, shows both the impact crater and the volcano, designated Mairan T, both are shown together with their correct designation. I’m not sure who names features on the Moon, but giving the crater and the volcano much the same name is confusing. I also note the description inside the atlas that refers to the volcano with a crater on top, this could easily lead one to conclude the feature top most on the volcano is an impact crater, but that is not the case.
7 February 2023 at 12:22 pm #615633Tor Schofield
ParticipantBill, Thank you for your reply. I have both the impact crater and the adjacent volcano, located now, with practically the same name, it can be somewhat confusing.
7 February 2023 at 5:48 pm #615641Dr Paul Leyland
ParticipantPaul, Thank you and I had seen that Wiki reference, but I was after Mairan T, not the lunar impact crater, Mairan, it’s a bit confusing. I’m interested in the lunar volcano, designated as ‘the silicic volcano Mairan’. Interestingly some descriptions give this as an impact crater or crater, but it’s not, more a collapsed volcano caldera.
I quoted the location of Mairan T as given in that article!
The location of Mairan itself is given as 41.6°N 43.4°W in Wikipedia.
7 February 2023 at 5:50 pm #615642Dr Paul Leyland
ParticipantI have just noticed that cover photo to ‘Atlas if the Moon’ Wood and Collins, shows both the impact crater and the volcano, designated Mairan T, both are shown together with their correct designation. I’m not sure who names features on the Moon, but giving the crater and the volcano much the same name is confusing. I also note the description inside the atlas that refers to the volcano with a crater on top, this could easily lead one to conclude the feature top most on the volcano is an impact crater, but that is not the case.
The Wikipedia article explains that nomenclature is set by the IAU and the convention for naming smaller scale features located close to the principle crater.
Perhaps it might be useful for you to review the article.
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