Back (crater)
Apollo 16 Mapping Camera image of Schubert crater (above right of center) and Back crater (below left of center) | |
| Coordinates | 1°06′N 80°42′E / 1.1°N 80.7°E |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 34.63 km (21.52 mi)[1] |
| Depth | Unknown |
| Colongitude | 280° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Ernst E. A. Back |
Back is a small lunar impact crater that is located near the eastern limb of the Moon. It lies on the northwest edge of the Mare Smythii, and the northeast rim is adjacent to the crater Schubert. To the west is Jenkins,[2] and to the southwest is the Weierstrass–Van Vleck crater pair.
Back is roughly circular, with narrow, sharp-edged outer walls that are not significantly worn. Despite its relatively small size, Back has a central peak typical of larger craters.[3]
This crater is named after German physicist Ernst E. A. Back (1881–1959). Previously known as Schubert B,[4] its designation was formally adopted by the IAU in 1976.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Back". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ^ "LAC 63" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
- ^ Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
- ^ Moore, Patrick; Rees, Robin (2014). Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy (2 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-139-49522-6.
Sources
- Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.
- Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
- Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
External links
- Media related to Back (crater) at Wikimedia Commons