Gill (lunar crater)

This article is about the crater on the Moon. For the Martian crater, see Gill (Martian crater).
Gill
Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates63°54′S 75°54′E / 63.9°S 75.9°E / -63.9; 75.9
Diameter66 km
DepthUnknown
Colongitude286° at sunrise
EponymDavid Gill
Oblique view of Gill from Apollo 15, facing southwest

Gill is a lunar impact crater that is located near the southeastern limb of the Moon. Due to its proximity to the edge of the Moon as seen from the Earth, this crater is viewed nearly from the side and it can become hidden from sight due to libration. The crater lies to the southwest of the irregular Mare Australe, and southeast of the prominent crater Pontécoulant. To the southwest of Gill is the crater Helmholtz.

This is an old, eroded crater formation with an outer rim that is uneven from a history of impacts. A joined pair of small craters lie along the northern rim, and Gill A intrudes slightly into the western outer rim. The interior floor is relatively level, and is marked by several craterlets.

On June 11, 2009, the Japanese SELENE lunar orbiter spacecraft was deliberately crashed into the surface of the Moon to the southeast of Gill. The impact site was at selenographic coordinates 65.5 S, 80.4 E.[1] The flash from the impact was successfully observed from Mount Abu Observatory in Guru Shikhar, India.[2] and by the Anglo-Australian Telescope.[3]

  1. ^ "KAGUYA (SELENE) Slam Crashed to the Moon". Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. June 11, 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-04-28. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  2. ^ "Impact of Japanese spacecraft Kaguya (Selene) on lunar surface". European Space Agency. June 17, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  3. ^ "AAO Newsletter August 2009" (PDF). Anglo Australian Observatory. August 31, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-10-01. Retrieved 2009-10-11.