Art, obsession, and identity
The 22 km- (14 mi-) diameter lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon known as Giordano Bruno is named after Italian philosopher, poet, and cosmological theorist Giordano Bruno (1548–1600). He was burned at the stake during the Inquisition, in part because of his cosmological views.
Located on the far side of the Moon, the 135 km- (83 mi) diameter Aitken crater is named for American astronomer Robert Grant Aitken (1864–1951).
One of the most prominent craters on the lunar surface, Tycho is named for Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). The crater, which is also one of the Moon's brightest, has a diameter of 85 km (53 mi).
Just 11 km (6 mi) in diameter but well defined, the Schmidt crater is named for three individuals: German astronomer Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt (1825–1884), German optician Bernhard Schmidt (1879–1935), and Soviet astronomer Otto Schmidt (1891–1956). The crater is located at the western edge of the Sea of Tranquility, the landing site of Apollo 11.
Goclenius, seen at the bottom of the photograph, is named for Rudolf Goclenius Jr. (1572–1621), a German physician and professor of physics, medicine, and mathematics. The 72 km- (44 mi-) diameter crater nestles alongside three clustered craters—Magelhaens, Magelhaens A, and Colombo A.
Fifty-nine km (36 mi) in diameter, Eratosthenes is named after the ancient Greek astronomer Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276–c. 194 BCE). Eratosthenes is noted for his near-correct estimations of the circumference of the Earth, and the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
Flemish astronomer Michael van Langren (1598–1675), the first person to draw a lunar map while giving names to many of the features, named the Langrenus crater after himself, which has an impressive diameter of 132 km (82 mi).
The 81 km- (50 mi-) diameter Archimedes crater is named in honor of the ancient Greek scientist and astronomer Archimedes (c. 287–c. 212 BCE).
The huge lunar impact crater known as Tsiolkovsky owes its name to Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857–1935). Located on the far side of the Moon, Tsiolkovsky is 184 km (114 mi) in diameter.
French astronomer Jean Sylvain Bailly (1736–1793) is the man for whom the Bailly crater is named for. At 303 km (188 mi) in diameter, this is the largest crater on the near side of the Moon. Incidentally, Bailly lost his head during the French Revolution, guillotined during the Reign of Terror.
Clavius is one of the largest crater formations on the Moon, measuring an astonishing 231 km (144 mi) in diameter. It's named for the Jesuit priest Christopher Clavius (1538–1612).
Named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543), noted for formulating a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center, the Copernicus crater is 93 km (57 mi) in diameter.
The Fra Mauro crater formation is barely discernible and in fact today is identified as the worn remnant of a walled lunar plain. Ninety-five km (59 mi) in diameter, this age-old landscape is named after the Italian cartographer Fra Mauro (c.1400–1464), best known for the world map he drew up in 1450, which at the time was the most detailed in medieval cartography.
At 199 km (123 mi) in diameter, Humboldt is another crater recognized for its expansive dimensions. It's named after Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835), a Prussian philosopher who founded the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Set on the heavily cratered highland region near the south pole of the Moon, the Moretus crater is named after the 17th-century Flemish mathematician and geometer Theodorus Moretus (1602–1667). It's a huge impression, measuring 114 km (70 mi) in diameter.
Boasting a diameter of 177 km (109 mi), Petavius is significant in that its top side displays a prominent rille system—long, narrow depressions in the surface of the Moon that resemble channels that help accentuate the crater's broad dimensions. Petavius is named for French Jesuit theologian Denis Pétau (1583–1652), also known as Dionysius Petavius.
Forming a near-perfect circle on the lunar surface, the 61 km- (37 mi) diameter Seleucus crater is named for the Hellenistic astronomer and philosopher Seleucus of Seleucia (c. 190–c. 150 BCE).
An imaginative observer might picture the surface of Stadius as having been trodden over by a cat. In fact, the remnants of this crater have been nearly obliterated by basaltic lava flows. Sixty-nine km (42 mi) in diameter, it's named after the Flemish astronomer and astrologer Johannes Stadius (1527–1579).
Stöffler is named after German mathematician Johannes Stöffler (1452–1531). Faraday, meanwhile, has overlain and damaged its western rim. This crater is named for the English scientist Michael Faraday (1791–1867), best known for his work on electricity and electrochemistry. Stöfler's diameter, by the way, measures around 126 km (78 mi).
Sources: (The International Astronomical Union) (Lunar and Planetary Institute)
The 57 km- (35 mi) diameter Thebit crater is named after polymath Thābit ibn Qurra (836–901). Thābit was born in Harran in Upper Mesopotamia and was highly regarded for his work in mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and translation.
Another prominent lunar impact crater, Theophilus gets its name from the 4th-century Coptic Pope Theophilus I of Alexandria. Theophilus, pictured here from Apollo 16, whose antenna is visible in the photograph, is 100 km (62 mi) in diameter.
Vendelinus appears as if bubbling up from the belly of the Moon. Approximately 147 km (91 mi) in diameter and named for Flemish astronomer Godfried Wendelen, or sometimes Vendelinus, (1580–1667), Vendelinus crater is kept company by a series of smaller craters on its edge.
Swedish astronomer Pehr Wilhelm Wargentin (1717–1783) is the man for whom the 84 km- (52 mi-) diameter Wargentin crater is named for.
Scarred as if by acne, the Janssen crater is heavily worn by lesser crater impacts. It boasts a diameter of 201 km (124 mi) and is named after French astronomer Pierre Janssen (1824–1907), credited in part with the discovery of helium.
The eponym for this 88 km- (54 mi) diameter crater is the Dutch geometer and astronomer Adriaan Adriaanszoon (1571–1635), who went by the name of Metius. The name "Metius" comes from the Dutch word meten, which means to measure or survey.
Embedded in the southeastern sector of the Moon, Piccolomini is also 88 km (54 mi) in diameter. It's named after the 16th-century Italian archbishop and astronomer Alessandro Piccolomini (1508–1579).
Appearing as though filled with water, the vast 101 km- (62 mi-) diameter Plato crater is named after the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (424–348 BCE).
The third-largest crater formation on the visible Moon, Deslandres measures 227 km (141 mi) in diameter. The crater is named for Henri Alexandre Deslandres (1853–1948), a French astronomer and director of the Meudon and Paris Observatories.
The German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler (1571–1630), a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution, is the individual for whom this crater is named for. It's a relatively small lunar impact site, just 32 m (19 mi) in diameter.
Daedalus is hidden from view on the far side of the Moon. Ninety-three km (57 mi) in diameter, the crater is named after Daedalus of Greek mythology.
Image: NASA
It was the Italian astronomer Galileo who in 1609 first turned his telescope towards the Moon to observe that far-from-perfect sphere; our nearest satellite was textured with numerous mountains and cup-like depressions. These roughly circular, excavated holes were quickly called craters, probably after kratēr, a Greek vessel used to mix wine and water.
The International Astronomical Union currently recognizes 9,137 craters, of which 1,675 have been dated. Most have also been given names. But after whom are these lunar impact craters named?
Click through and discover the eponyms for some of the Moon's most prominent craters.
The fascinating origins of the Moon's crater names
Some of them are easily visible
LIFESTYLE Astronomy
It was the Italian astronomer Galileo who in 1609 first turned his telescope towards the Moon to observe that far-from-perfect sphere; our nearest satellite was textured with numerous mountains and cup-like depressions. These roughly circular, excavated holes were quickly called craters, probably after kratēr, a Greek vessel used to mix wine and water.
The International Astronomical Union currently recognizes 9,137 craters, of which 1,675 have been dated. Most have also been given names. But after whom are these lunar impact craters named?
Click through and discover the eponyms for some of the Moon's most prominent craters.