Difference between revisions of "Alphonsus"
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| − | [http://www.lpod.org/coppermine/displayimage.php?pid=1521&fullsize=1 [[Image:normal_Alphonsus-Arzachel-09-14-06-53map-s371.jpg|external image normal_Alphonsus-Arzachel-09-14-06-53map-s371.jpg]]]<br /> ''[http://lpod.org/coppermine/displayimage.php?pos=-1521 Wes Higgins]'' In this view, west is up and north to the right. Alphonsus is the large crater on the right. To its left is the similar, but smaller, [http://the-moon. | + | [http://www.lpod.org/coppermine/displayimage.php?pid=1521&fullsize=1 [[Image:normal_Alphonsus-Arzachel-09-14-06-53map-s371.jpg|external image normal_Alphonsus-Arzachel-09-14-06-53map-s371.jpg]]]<br /> ''[http://lpod.org/coppermine/displayimage.php?pos=-1521 Wes Higgins]'' In this view, west is up and north to the right. Alphonsus is the large crater on the right. To its left is the similar, but smaller, [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Arzachel Arzachel]; and above them [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Alpetragius Alpetragius]. Part of the southeastern floor of [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ptolemaeus Ptolemaeus] is also visible on the extreme lower right. On the floor of Alphonsus there are a number of IAU-named features. These include [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Rimae%20Alphonsus Rimae Alphonsus], [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Chang-Ngo Chang-Ngo] and the presumed volcanoes [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ravi Ravi], [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Monira Monira], [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Jos%C3%A9 José] and [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Soraya Soraya].<br /> <br /> <div id="toc"> |
=Table of Contents= | =Table of Contents= | ||
<div style="margin-left: 1em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9) Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Images Images]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Maps Maps]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description Description]</div><div style="margin-left: 3em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description-Elger Elger]</div><div style="margin-left: 3em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description-Wikipedia Wikipedia]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Additional Information Additional Information]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Lunar Ellipse of Fire Lunar Ellipse of Fire]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Nomenclature Nomenclature]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-LPOD Articles LPOD Articles]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-LROC Articles LROC Articles]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Lunar 100 Lunar 100]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Bibliography Bibliography]</div></div> | <div style="margin-left: 1em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9) Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Images Images]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Maps Maps]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description Description]</div><div style="margin-left: 3em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description-Elger Elger]</div><div style="margin-left: 3em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description-Wikipedia Wikipedia]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Additional Information Additional Information]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Lunar Ellipse of Fire Lunar Ellipse of Fire]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Nomenclature Nomenclature]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-LPOD Articles LPOD Articles]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-LROC Articles LROC Articles]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Lunar 100 Lunar 100]</div><div style="margin-left: 2em">[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Bibliography Bibliography]</div></div> | ||
==Images== | ==Images== | ||
[http://www.lpod.org/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=search&type=full&search=Alphonsus LPOD Photo Gallery] [http://www.lazzarotti-hires.com/images/moon/quartet.jpg Paolo R. Lazzarotti][http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunar_orbiter/bin/srch_nam.shtml?Alphonsus%7C0 Lunar Orbiter Images] [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/apollo/search/feature/?feature=Alphonsus Apollo Images][http://jda.jaxa.jp/jda/p4_e.php?f_id=15974&mode=level&time=N&genre=5&category=5025 Kaguya HDTV]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ranger/catalog/9/A/ Ranger 9 - Camera A photographs]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ranger/catalog/9/B/ Ranger 9 - Camera B photographs]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ranger/catalog/9/P/ Ranger 9 - Camera P photographs]<br /> | [http://www.lpod.org/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=search&type=full&search=Alphonsus LPOD Photo Gallery] [http://www.lazzarotti-hires.com/images/moon/quartet.jpg Paolo R. Lazzarotti][http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunar_orbiter/bin/srch_nam.shtml?Alphonsus%7C0 Lunar Orbiter Images] [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/apollo/search/feature/?feature=Alphonsus Apollo Images][http://jda.jaxa.jp/jda/p4_e.php?f_id=15974&mode=level&time=N&genre=5&category=5025 Kaguya HDTV]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ranger/catalog/9/A/ Ranger 9 - Camera A photographs]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ranger/catalog/9/B/ Ranger 9 - Camera B photographs]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/ranger/catalog/9/P/ Ranger 9 - Camera P photographs]<br /> | ||
| − | * Apollo 16's orbital ''Fairchild''-camera photograph [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/apollo/frame/?AS16-M-0714 AS16-M-0714] ('''Alphonsus'''/ Arzachel) is included in the book ''[http://the-moon. | + | * Apollo 16's orbital ''Fairchild''-camera photograph [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/apollo/frame/?AS16-M-0714 AS16-M-0714] ('''Alphonsus'''/ Arzachel) is included in the book ''[http://the-moon.us/wiki/Light%2C%201999 Full Moon]'' (Plate 26). Research: Danny Caes |
| − | * A bass-relief model of '''Alphonsus''''s central peak was once made by scientific sculptor R.Turner. A photograph of R.Turner and the sculpted central peak was printed on page 29 of the book [http://the-moon. | + | * A bass-relief model of '''Alphonsus''''s central peak was once made by scientific sculptor R.Turner. A photograph of R.Turner and the sculpted central peak was printed on page 29 of the book [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Operatie%20Maan Operatie Maan] by the Dutch populariser Chriet Titulaer.<span class="membersnap">- [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/DannyCaes [[Image:DannyCaes-lg.jpg|16px|DannyCaes]]] [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/DannyCaes DannyCaes] <small>Dec 19, 2010</small></span> |
<br /> | <br /> | ||
==Maps== | ==Maps== | ||
| − | ''([http://the-moon. | + | ''([http://the-moon.us/wiki/LAC%20zone LAC zone] 77D3)'' [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LAC/lac77/ LAC map] [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/usgs/I566/ Geologic map] [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LM/lm77/ LM map]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/usgs/I599/ USGS Geologic Map of the Alphonsus Region of the Moon (I-599)]<br /> [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/usgs/I586/ USGS Geologic Map of the Alphonsus GA region (I-586)], with actual impact location of ''Ranger 9''.<br /> <br /> |
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
| − | Alphonsus is an old complex impact crater with an isolated central peak and an interesting flat floor. Alphonsus is famous for the dark patches along the edges of the floor that are ash deposits from the contained small volcano pits. The network of rilles that inter-connect the dark halo craters are probably surface fractures over dikes that brought magma toward the surface. The rim of Alphonsus is cut by linear troughs made by flying ejecta coming from the formation of [http://the-moon. | + | Alphonsus is an old complex impact crater with an isolated central peak and an interesting flat floor. Alphonsus is famous for the dark patches along the edges of the floor that are ash deposits from the contained small volcano pits. The network of rilles that inter-connect the dark halo craters are probably surface fractures over dikes that brought magma toward the surface. The rim of Alphonsus is cut by linear troughs made by flying ejecta coming from the formation of [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Mare%20Imbrium Imbrium impact basin]. The ridge through the center of Alphonsus is probably also Imbrium ejecta. In the 1950s Russian observations suggested that gases were emitted from the central peak of Alphonsus. But the more recent discovery that the 2.0 km high peak is made of anorthosite, an ancient rock formed in the magma ocean, demonstrates that volcanic eruptions did not occur 50 years ago.<br /> Chuck Wood, June 3, 2007<br /> <br /> |
===Elger=== | ===Elger=== | ||
| − | ''([http://the-moon. | + | ''([http://the-moon.us/wiki/IAU%20Directions IAU Directions])'' ALPHONSUS.--A large walled-plain, 83 miles in diameter, with a massive irregular border abutting on the S.S.W. side of [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ptolemaeus Ptolemaeus], and rising at one place on the N.E. to a height of 7000 feet above the interior. The floor presents many features of interest. It includes a bright central peak, forming part of a longitudinal ridge, on either side of which runs a winding cleft, originating at a crater-row on the N. side of the interior. There is a third cleft on the N.E. side, and a fourth near the foot of the W. wall. There are also three peculiar dark areas within the circumvallation; two, some distance apart, abutting on the E. wall, and a third, triangular in shape, at the foot of the W. wall. The last-mentioned cleft traverses this patch. These dusky spots are easily recognised in good photographs of the moon.<br /> <br /> |
===Wikipedia=== | ===Wikipedia=== | ||
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonsus_(crater) Alphonsus]<br /> <br /> | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonsus_(crater) Alphonsus]<br /> <br /> | ||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
* IAU page: [http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/206 Alphonsus] | * IAU page: [http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/206 Alphonsus] | ||
* Floor-fractured crater | * Floor-fractured crater | ||
| − | * [http://the-moon. | + | * [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Central%20peak%20composition Central peak composition]: pure anorthosite ([http://the-moon.us/wiki/Tompkins%20%26%20Pieters%2C%201999 Tompkins & Pieters, 1999]) |
| − | * Depth data from [http://the-moon. | + | * Depth data from [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Kurt%20Fisher%20crater%20depths Kurt Fisher database] |
*** Westfall, 2000: 2.73 km | *** Westfall, 2000: 2.73 km | ||
*** Viscardy, 1985: 2.73 km | *** Viscardy, 1985: 2.73 km | ||
*** Cherrington, 1969: 3.2 km | *** Cherrington, 1969: 3.2 km | ||
* Central peak height | * Central peak height | ||
| − | ** [http://the-moon. | + | ** [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Sekiguchi%2C%201972 Sekiguchi, 1972]: 2.2 km <span class="membersnap">- [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/fatastronomer [[Image:fatastronomer-lg.jpg|16px|fatastronomer]]] [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/fatastronomer fatastronomer]</span> |
| − | ** [http://the-moon. | + | ** [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Wood%2C%201971 Wood, 1971]: 2.0 km <span class="membersnap">- [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/tychocrater [[Image:tychocrater-lg.jpg|16px|tychocrater]]] [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/tychocrater tychocrater] <small>Feb 20, 2008</small></span> |
* Crater with the 4th largest number of transient lunar phenomena reports: 18; A.P.S. Crotts (2007). | * Crater with the 4th largest number of transient lunar phenomena reports: 18; A.P.S. Crotts (2007). | ||
* Eleven small pyroclastic deposits (area = 8 to 79 km^2) associated with dark halo craters. This is not the largest extent of pyroclastic materials but it is probably the greatest clustering of discrete sources. Gaddis, L. (1999) [http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/Projects/LunarPyroclasticVolcanism/lunpyroWebDb.html Lunar Pyroclastic Volcanism Project]. | * Eleven small pyroclastic deposits (area = 8 to 79 km^2) associated with dark halo craters. This is not the largest extent of pyroclastic materials but it is probably the greatest clustering of discrete sources. Gaddis, L. (1999) [http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/Projects/LunarPyroclasticVolcanism/lunpyroWebDb.html Lunar Pyroclastic Volcanism Project]. | ||
| − | * The artificial impact-craterlet created by Ranger 9 (on the floor of Alphonsus) is described and depicted in [http://the-moon. | + | * The artificial impact-craterlet created by Ranger 9 (on the floor of Alphonsus) is described and depicted in [http://the-moon.us/wiki/NASA%20SP-362 NASA SP-362], ''Apollo over the Moon; A View from Orbit'', Chapter 5: Craters ([http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-362/ch5.2.htm Part 2]), Figure 123. |
| − | * NASA has selected a small area on the floor of '''Alphonsus''' (near [http://the-moon. | + | * NASA has selected a small area on the floor of '''Alphonsus''' (near [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ravi Ravi]) as a [http://the-moon.us/wiki/RoI%20-%20Alphonsus%20Crater Region of Interest] for investigation in connection with its [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Constellation%20program Constellation program] of exploration. |
| − | * [http://the-moon. | + | * [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Nikolai%20Kozyrev Nikolai Kozyrev] and the case for lunar volcanism. |
<br /> | <br /> | ||
==Lunar Ellipse of Fire== | ==Lunar Ellipse of Fire== | ||
| Line 44: | Line 44: | ||
* Named for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_X_of_Castile Alfonso X] (November 23, 1221, Toledo, Spain – April 4, 1284, Seville, Spain), a Spanish monarch. As a writer and intellectual he gained considerable scientific fame based on his encouragement of astronomy and the Ptolemaic cosmology as known to him through the Arabs. His fame extends to the preparation of the Alfonsine tables, based on calculations of al-Zarqali Alzarquel. | * Named for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_X_of_Castile Alfonso X] (November 23, 1221, Toledo, Spain – April 4, 1284, Seville, Spain), a Spanish monarch. As a writer and intellectual he gained considerable scientific fame based on his encouragement of astronomy and the Ptolemaic cosmology as known to him through the Arabs. His fame extends to the preparation of the Alfonsine tables, based on calculations of al-Zarqali Alzarquel. | ||
| − | * Alphonsus D, southeast of Alphonsus itself, was called '''Dublier''' by Hugh Percy Wilkins and Paluzie-Borrell, but the [http://the-moon. | + | * Alphonsus D, southeast of Alphonsus itself, was called '''Dublier''' by Hugh Percy Wilkins and Paluzie-Borrell, but the [http://the-moon.us/wiki/IAU IAU] did not accept that name. Dublier was a contemporary Spanish astronomer. |
| − | * According to V.A. Firsoff's book ''The Old Moon and the New'' (1969), one of the regions on the west rampart of Alphonsus was called '''Lake Titicaca''' by [http://the-moon. | + | * According to V.A. Firsoff's book ''The Old Moon and the New'' (1969), one of the regions on the west rampart of Alphonsus was called '''Lake Titicaca''' by [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ewen%20Whitaker Whitaker] (see page 152 of that book). Of course, "Lake Titicaca" is not an official I.A.U.-name, but it would be interesting to know which part of Alphonsus it was (the exact location of Whitaker's "Lake Titicaca"). Detection of name "Lake Titicaca": Danny Caes. By the way, see also the terrestrial [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Titicaca Lake Titicaca]. |
<br /> | <br /> | ||
==LPOD Articles== | ==LPOD Articles== | ||
| − | [http:// | + | [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/November_27,_2006 A Long Line in a Clutter of Magnificence.] [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/September_16,_2006 Just Another Glorious Image] [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/July_10,_2006 Craters and Papers] [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/April_6,_2006 Micro-Topo] [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/May_21,_2004 Volcanic Craters on the Moon] [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/May_15,_2004 The Golden Triad] [http://www2.lpod.org/wiki/February_13,_2007 New Observations of a Well-Known Area]<br /> <br /> |
==LROC Articles== | ==LROC Articles== | ||
[http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/posts/1 Alphonsus crater mantled floor fracture]<br /> <br /> | [http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/posts/1 Alphonsus crater mantled floor fracture]<br /> <br /> | ||
==Lunar 100== | ==Lunar 100== | ||
| − | [http://the-moon. | + | [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Lunar%20100 L47]: Dark-halo eruptions on crater floor.<br /> <br /> |
==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
| Line 66: | Line 66: | ||
<br /> | <br /> | ||
---- | ---- | ||
| − | [http://the-moon. | + | [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Alphabetical%20Index Named Featues] -- Prev: [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Alpetragius Alpetragius] -- Next: [http://the-moon.us/wiki/Rimae%20Alphonsus Rimae Alphonsus]<br /> |
---- | ---- | ||
This page has been edited 1 times. The last modification was made by <span class="membersnap">- [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/tychocrater [[Image:tychocrater-lg.jpg|16px|tychocrater]]] [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/tychocrater tychocrater]</span> on Jun 13, 2009 3:24 pm - ''afx2u3''</div> | This page has been edited 1 times. The last modification was made by <span class="membersnap">- [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/tychocrater [[Image:tychocrater-lg.jpg|16px|tychocrater]]] [http://www.wikispaces.com/user/view/tychocrater tychocrater]</span> on Jun 13, 2009 3:24 pm - ''afx2u3''</div> | ||
Revision as of 20:08, 11 April 2018
Contents
Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)
|
Lat: 13.38°S, Long: 2.9°W, Diam: 110.54 km, Depth: 2.73 km, Rükl: 44, Nectarian |
Wes Higgins In this view, west is up and north to the right. Alphonsus is the large crater on the right. To its left is the similar, but smaller, Arzachel; and above them Alpetragius. Part of the southeastern floor of Ptolemaeus is also visible on the extreme lower right. On the floor of Alphonsus there are a number of IAU-named features. These include Rimae Alphonsus, Chang-Ngo and the presumed volcanoes Ravi, Monira, José and Soraya.
Table of Contents
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9) Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Images Images]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Maps Maps]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description Description]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description-Elger Elger]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Description-Wikipedia Wikipedia]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Additional Information Additional Information]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Lunar Ellipse of Fire Lunar Ellipse of Fire]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Nomenclature Nomenclature]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-LPOD Articles LPOD Articles]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-LROC Articles LROC Articles]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Lunar 100 Lunar 100]
[#Alphonsus, with Rimae Alphonsus on its floor (impact site of Ranger 9)-Bibliography Bibliography]
Images
LPOD Photo Gallery Paolo R. LazzarottiLunar Orbiter Images Apollo ImagesKaguya HDTV
Ranger 9 - Camera A photographs
Ranger 9 - Camera B photographs
Ranger 9 - Camera P photographs
- Apollo 16's orbital Fairchild-camera photograph AS16-M-0714 (Alphonsus/ Arzachel) is included in the book Full Moon (Plate 26). Research: Danny Caes
- A bass-relief model of Alphonsus's central peak was once made by scientific sculptor R.Turner. A photograph of R.Turner and the sculpted central peak was printed on page 29 of the book Operatie Maan by the Dutch populariser Chriet Titulaer.- DannyCaes DannyCaes Dec 19, 2010
Maps
(LAC zone 77D3) LAC map Geologic map LM map
USGS Geologic Map of the Alphonsus Region of the Moon (I-599)
USGS Geologic Map of the Alphonsus GA region (I-586), with actual impact location of Ranger 9.
Description
Alphonsus is an old complex impact crater with an isolated central peak and an interesting flat floor. Alphonsus is famous for the dark patches along the edges of the floor that are ash deposits from the contained small volcano pits. The network of rilles that inter-connect the dark halo craters are probably surface fractures over dikes that brought magma toward the surface. The rim of Alphonsus is cut by linear troughs made by flying ejecta coming from the formation of Imbrium impact basin. The ridge through the center of Alphonsus is probably also Imbrium ejecta. In the 1950s Russian observations suggested that gases were emitted from the central peak of Alphonsus. But the more recent discovery that the 2.0 km high peak is made of anorthosite, an ancient rock formed in the magma ocean, demonstrates that volcanic eruptions did not occur 50 years ago.
Chuck Wood, June 3, 2007
Elger
(IAU Directions) ALPHONSUS.--A large walled-plain, 83 miles in diameter, with a massive irregular border abutting on the S.S.W. side of Ptolemaeus, and rising at one place on the N.E. to a height of 7000 feet above the interior. The floor presents many features of interest. It includes a bright central peak, forming part of a longitudinal ridge, on either side of which runs a winding cleft, originating at a crater-row on the N. side of the interior. There is a third cleft on the N.E. side, and a fourth near the foot of the W. wall. There are also three peculiar dark areas within the circumvallation; two, some distance apart, abutting on the E. wall, and a third, triangular in shape, at the foot of the W. wall. The last-mentioned cleft traverses this patch. These dusky spots are easily recognised in good photographs of the moon.
Wikipedia
Additional Information
- IAU page: Alphonsus
- Floor-fractured crater
- Central peak composition: pure anorthosite (Tompkins & Pieters, 1999)
- Depth data from Kurt Fisher database
- Westfall, 2000: 2.73 km
- Viscardy, 1985: 2.73 km
- Cherrington, 1969: 3.2 km
- Central peak height
- Sekiguchi, 1972: 2.2 km - fatastronomer fatastronomer
- Wood, 1971: 2.0 km - tychocrater tychocrater Feb 20, 2008
- Crater with the 4th largest number of transient lunar phenomena reports: 18; A.P.S. Crotts (2007).
- Eleven small pyroclastic deposits (area = 8 to 79 km^2) associated with dark halo craters. This is not the largest extent of pyroclastic materials but it is probably the greatest clustering of discrete sources. Gaddis, L. (1999) Lunar Pyroclastic Volcanism Project.
- The artificial impact-craterlet created by Ranger 9 (on the floor of Alphonsus) is described and depicted in NASA SP-362, Apollo over the Moon; A View from Orbit, Chapter 5: Craters (Part 2), Figure 123.
- NASA has selected a small area on the floor of Alphonsus (near Ravi) as a Region of Interest for investigation in connection with its Constellation program of exploration.
- Nikolai Kozyrev and the case for lunar volcanism.
Lunar Ellipse of Fire
The floor of Alphonsus is (or was?) number seven in the list of 12 localities in the Lunar Ellipse of Fire (see article from Farouk El-Baz in Sky and Telescope - June 1973).
Nomenclature
- Named for Alfonso X (November 23, 1221, Toledo, Spain – April 4, 1284, Seville, Spain), a Spanish monarch. As a writer and intellectual he gained considerable scientific fame based on his encouragement of astronomy and the Ptolemaic cosmology as known to him through the Arabs. His fame extends to the preparation of the Alfonsine tables, based on calculations of al-Zarqali Alzarquel.
- Alphonsus D, southeast of Alphonsus itself, was called Dublier by Hugh Percy Wilkins and Paluzie-Borrell, but the IAU did not accept that name. Dublier was a contemporary Spanish astronomer.
- According to V.A. Firsoff's book The Old Moon and the New (1969), one of the regions on the west rampart of Alphonsus was called Lake Titicaca by Whitaker (see page 152 of that book). Of course, "Lake Titicaca" is not an official I.A.U.-name, but it would be interesting to know which part of Alphonsus it was (the exact location of Whitaker's "Lake Titicaca"). Detection of name "Lake Titicaca": Danny Caes. By the way, see also the terrestrial Lake Titicaca.
LPOD Articles
A Long Line in a Clutter of Magnificence. Just Another Glorious Image Craters and Papers Micro-Topo Volcanic Craters on the Moon The Golden Triad New Observations of a Well-Known Area
LROC Articles
Alphonsus crater mantled floor fracture
Lunar 100
L47: Dark-halo eruptions on crater floor.
Bibliography
- Gaddis, L. R. et al (2011). Alphonsus Dark-halo Craters: Identification of Additional Volcanic Vents – 42nd LPSC Conference (Mar), 2011.
- Burkmann, J. and Boint, S. (2009). Profiles of the Central Peaks of Albategnius, Alphonsus, and Arzachel Craters(PDF) - Selenology Today No 12, p. 9-16, 2009.
- Wood, C.A. (2001). Alphonsus: Volcanism Then and Now? Sky & Telescope March, Vol 101 p116, 2001.
- Stooke, P. (2001). Reviews - Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Vol. 95,, p.85, 2001.
- Doel, R. E. (1996). . The Lunar Volcanism Controversy - Sky & Telescope (October) 26-30, 1996.
- Coombs, C. R. et al (1990). Pyroclastic Volcanism in the Alphonsus Region - Proc. 20th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf., 161-174, 1990.
- Coombs, C. R. et al (1990). The Alphonsus Region: A Geologic and Remote-Sensing Perspective - Proc. 20th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf., 161-174, 1990.
- Head, J.W. & Wilson. L. (1979). Alphonsus-type Dark-Halo Craters: Morphology, Morphometry and Eruption Conditions - Proc. Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. 10th, 2861-2897, 1979.
- Masursky, H. et al (1978). Apollo over the Moon; A View from Orbit - Chapter 2: Regional views Figure 25, 1978.
Named Featues -- Prev: Alpetragius -- Next: Rimae Alphonsus
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