Theaetetus (crater)
LRO image
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| Coordinates | 37°00′N 6°00′E / 37.0°N 6.0°ECoordinates: 37°00′N 6°00′E / 37.0°N 6.0°E |
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| Diameter | 25 km |
| Depth | 2.8 km |
| Colongitude | 354° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Theaetetus |
Theaetetus is a lunar impact crater that is located to the southeast of the crater Cassini near the eastern edge of Mare Imbrium and is named after the mathematician Theaetetus. It lies just to the west of the Montes Caucasus range, which forms the eastern shore of the mare. To the southwest is the prominent crater Aristillus.
From that location the Earth would appear in the lunar sky at over 53 degrees from the top towards the south and 6 degrees towards the west. Also the sun rises just before or sometimes during the third quarter of Earthshine and the sun sets just before or during its first quarter.
The rim of Theaetetus is distinctly polygonal in shape, with a slight rounding at the vertices. There is a low outer and a slight central rise on the crater floor, which is offset to the northeast of the crater midpoint. The interior is otherwise relatively featureless. A few ray systems that originated from Aristillus surrounds the crater, a larger one to the west and two lesser ones to the south.
This crater has been noted in the past as a site of possible transient lunar phenomena. In 1902, a white cloud was observed briefly in the vicinity of the crater. Other observers, including Patrick Moore and W. H. Pickering, have also noted unusual appearances in this area.
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Wikipedia