Ptolemaeus (lunar crater)

This article is about the crater on the Moon. For the Martian crater, see Ptolemaeus (Martian crater).
The crater area in a Selenochromatic format Image (Si)
Ptolemaeus
Ptolemaeus from Apollo 16. NASA photo.
Coordinates9°12′S 1°48′W / 9.2°S 1.8°W / -9.2; -1.8
Diameter154 km
Depth2.4 km
Colongitude3° at sunrise
EponymClaudius Ptolemaeus

Ptolemaeus is an ancient lunar impact crater close to the center of the near side, named for Claudius Ptolemy, the Greco-Roman writer, mathematician, astronomer, geographer and astrologer. It measures approximately 154 kilometers in diameter.[1]

The Apollo 12 lunar module Intrepid flies over Ptolemaeus and the smaller Ammonius within it. Herschel lies to the right. NASA photo.
  1. ^ "Ptolemaeus (lunar crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.