Piazzi Smyth (crater)

Piazzi Smyth
Coordinates 41°54′N 3°12′W / 41.9°N 3.2°W / 41.9; -3.2Coordinates: 41°54′N 3°12′W / 41.9°N 3.2°W / 41.9; -3.2
Diameter 13 km
Depth 2.5 km
Colongitude 3° at sunrise
Eponym C. Piazzi Smyth

Piazzi Smyth is a small lunar impact crater in the eastern part of the Mare Imbrium and is named after Charles Piazzi Smyth. This is an isolated feature located about 100 kilometers to the southwest of the Montes Alpes mountain range. To the southeast of this crater is Mons Piton, an isolated mountain that rises to a height of 2.3 km and occupies a diameter of about 25 km. Nearby prominent craters are Cassini nearly to the east and Kirch to the southwest.

Oblique view from Apollo 15

From that location the Earth would appear in the lunar sky at over 41 degrees from the top towards the south. Also the sun rises during the third quarter of Earthshine and the sun sets during its first quarter.

This crater is a nicely circular feature with a rim and interior that have not been significantly modified by impacts. The inner walls slope smoothly downwards to the small floor about the midpoint, which occupies a diameter of only one-fifth the total diameter of the crater. This formation has no other notable features, and its albedo matches the surrounding lava plain.

Satellite craters

Piazzi Smyth crater 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 Piazzi Smyth. Piazzi Smyth B is to the west-southwest, Piazzi Smyth M is further north, Piazzi Smyth U is to the south, Piazzi Smyth V is to the southwest, Piazzi Smyth W is nearly to the east, Piazzi Smith Y is not far to the north and Piazzi Smyth Z is also not far in the northwest.

Piazzi
Smyth		 Latitude Longitude Diameter
B 40.5° N 3.4° W 4 km
M 45.0° N 4.2° W 2 km
U 40.8° N 2.7° W 3 km
V 40.9° N 4.7° W 7 km
W 42.2° N 1.9° W 3 km
Y 42.8° N 3.4° W 4 km
Z 42.1° N 4.6° W 3 km

References

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