Birmingham (crater)

Birmingham
Location of the lunar crater Birmingham.
Coordinates65°06′N 10°30′W / 65.1°N 10.5°W / 65.1; -10.5
Diameter92 km
Depth1.8 km
Colongitude13° at sunrise
EponymJohn Birmingham
The crater area in selenochromatic Image (Si). More infos here : https://www.gawh.it/main/selenocromatica
Map of Birmingham and vicinity
Lunar Orbiter 4 image of most of Birmingham, including the northern crater rim, at a low sun angle

Birmingham is the surviving remnant of a lunar impact crater. It is named after the astronomer John Birmingham (not, as is often stated, the British city nor its Alabama namesake). The crater is located near the northern limb of the Moon, and so is viewed from the Earth at a low angle.

All that survives of the original formation is an irregular perimeter of low, indented ridges surrounding the lava-resurfaced interior. The inner floor is marked by several tiny craterlets, and the surface is unusually rough for a walled plain. The low angle of illumination allows fine details of this boulder-strewn field to be seen more clearly.

Location

The Birmingham formation lies just to the north of the Mare Frigoris, and to the east of the walled plain W. Bond. To the northeast is the smaller crater Epigenes, with Fontenelle to the west.

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 Birmingham.

Birmingham Latitude Longitude Diameter
km mi
B 63.6° N 11.3° W 8 5.0
G 64.5° N 10.2° W 5 3.1
H 64.4° N 10.6° W 7 4.3
K 65.0° N 13.1° W 6 3.7

References

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  • McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
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  • 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.
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