Eratosthenes (crater)

Eratosthenes
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter image
Coordinates14°28′N 11°19′W / 14.47°N 11.32°W / 14.47; -11.32
Diameter59 km
Depth3.6 km
Colongitude12° at sunrise
EponymEratosthenes
Eratosthenes-centered area in selenochromatic Image (Si) with some landmarks (yellow/normal, red/pyroclastic).
Eratosthenes (lower left of center) and surroundings from Apollo 17. NASA image.
Eratosthenes crater. Photo taken from Earth. Author: Georgi Georgiev, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

Eratosthenes crater is a relatively deep lunar impact crater that lies on the boundary between the Mare Imbrium and Sinus Aestuum mare regions. It forms the western terminus of the Montes Apenninus mountain range. It is named after ancient Greek astronomer Eratosthenes of Cyrene,[1] who estimated the circumference of the Earth, and the distance from the Earth to the Sun.

  1. ^ "Eratosthenes". usgs.gov. Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved September 21, 2017.