Blanchinus (crater)

Blanchinus is a lunar impact crater in the rugged south-central highlands of the Moon. It is named after Italian astronomer Giovanni Bianchini whose Latinized name is Blanchinus. Adjacent to its south is the crater Werner, and La Caille is attached to the northwest rim. To its west is the prominent formation Purbach.

Blanchinus

Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	25.4°S 2.5°E / -25.4; 2.5
Diameter	58 × 68 km
Depth	4.2 km
Colongitude	358° at sunrise
Eponym	Giovanni Bianchini

Blanchinus' outer rim has been significantly degraded by subsequent impacts, leaving an irregular, notched exterior ring of rugged hills and ridges. The inner floor, in contrast, is nearly flat and free of significant impacts. Only a few tiny craterlets mark it, with Blanchinus M near the midpoint and the remainder near the southwest rim.

For a few hours before the first quarter, the crater's rim contributes the lunar x visual phenomenon.

Satellite craters

Blanchinus crater and its satellite craters taken from Earth in 2012 at the University of Hertfordshire's Bayfordbury Observatory with the telescopes Meade LX200 14" and Lumenera Skynyx 2-1

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Blanchinus.

Blanchinus	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
B	25.2° S	1.6° E	8 km
D	25.0° S	4.2° E	7 km
K	24.8° S	5.1° E	9 km
M	25.2° S	2.6° E	5 km

References

• Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
• 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.

External links

• Nemiroff, Robert; Bonnell, Jerry (December 10, 2016). "The Lunar X". Astronomy Photo of the Day (APOD).