Cavalerius (crater)

Cavalerius
	Mosaic of Lunar Orbiter 4 images
Coordinates	5°06′N 66°48′W / 5.1°N 66.8°W
Diameter	59.35 km (36.88 mi)
Depth	3.0 km (1.9 mi)
Colongitude	67° at sunrise
Formation	Eratosthenian
Eponym	Buonaventura Cavalieri

Cavalerius is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies on the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum lunar mare on the west part of the visible Moon. Patrick Moore calls it "a fine object when on the terminator".^[3] It nearly joins the northern rim of Hevelius to the south. To the east-northeast is the Reiner Gamma anomaly.^[4]

This formation has an estimated age of 3.2±0.2 Ga,^[2] which dates it to the Eratosthenian period on the lunar geologic timescale. The rim of Cavalerius is relatively high and sharp, rising to over 3 kilometers in places. There are clefts in the northern and southern parts of the rim and inner walls. Parts of the inner sides are terraced with slumping evident. The interior floor is hummocky in places, with mixed low hills and level areas. In the midpoint of the crater floor is a low central peak, with neighboring ridges to the north and east.^[5]^[6]^: 56 The floor of the crater appears rich in clinopyroxene and olivine, while the walls and rim display abundant indications of orthopyroxene.^[7]

This crater was named after the Italian mathematician Buonaventura Cavalieri (1598-1647). His name was incorporated into lunar nomenclature by Italian astronomer Giovanni B. Riccioli in 1651.^[8] Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[1]

Northeast of this crater is the site designated Planitia Descensus, the landing site of the Soviet Luna 9 probe, the first vehicle to soft-land on the Moon. It lies among some low ridges along the edge of the Oceanus Procellarum.^[9]^[5]

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Cavalerius.^[10]

Cavalerius^[6]^: 295	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	4.5° N	69.5° W	14 km
B	6.0° N	71.0° W	39 km
C	5.8° N	69.2° W	8 km
D	8.6° N	68.3° W	52 km
E	7.7° N	69.9° W	9 km
F	8.1° N	65.3° W	7 km
K	10.3° N	69.2° W	10 km
L	10.4° N	70.2° W	10 km
M	10.3° N	71.5° W	12 km
U	10.1° N	67.4° W	7 km
W	6.9° N	67.3° W	7 km
X	9.2° N	66.6° W	4 km
Y	10.7° N	69.8° W	7 km
Z	11.0° N	69.5° W	4 km

There is a lunar dome near Cavalerius A, "showing evidence of ancient (pre-Orientale) mare volcanism and cryptomare deposits."^[11] Cavalerius E is a concentric (double-walled) crater.^[12]

References

1 2 "Cavalerius". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
1 2 Hood, L. L.; et al. (November 1979). "Lunar magnetic anomalies detected by the Apollo substatellite magnetometers". Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors. 20 (2–4): 291–311. Bibcode:1979PEPI...20..291H. doi:10.1016/0031-9201(79)90052-9.
↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
↑ "LAC 56" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-28.
1 2 Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 169. ISBN 978-1-84628-243-0.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ Roy, Nidhi; et al. (2021). "Morphological and mineralogical characterization of Cavalerius crater in the equatorial transition region of moon" (PDF). Ecology, Environment and Conservation. 27 (3): 1094–1101. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 60, 211. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
↑ Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. p. 163. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.
↑ Grego, P. (2015). "Satellite Crater". In Hargitai, H.; Kereszturi, Á. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328.
↑ Lena, R.; Pau, K. C. (February 2019). "A lunar cryptomare dome near Cavalerius A and Hevelius A". Journal of the British Astronomical Association. 129 (1): 38–44. Bibcode:2019JBAA..129...38L.
↑ Dembowski, William M. (October 2006). "Enigmatic lunar craters". Journal of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers, The Strolling Astronomer (ISSN 0039-2502). 48 (4): 27–31. Bibcode:2006JALPO..48d..27D.

[GPN-1] 1 2 "Cavalerius". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Hood_et_al_1979-2] 1 2 Hood, L. L.; et al. (November 1979). "Lunar magnetic anomalies detected by the Apollo substatellite magnetometers". Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors. 20 (2–4): 291–311. Bibcode:1979PEPI...20..291H. doi:10.1016/0031-9201(79)90052-9.

[Moore_2001-3] Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[LAC-56-4] "LAC 56" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-06-28.

[Grego_2005-5] 1 2 Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 169. ISBN 978-1-84628-243-0.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-6] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

[Nidhi_et_al_2021-7] Roy, Nidhi; et al. (2021). "Morphological and mineralogical characterization of Cavalerius crater in the equatorial transition region of moon" (PDF). Ecology, Environment and Conservation. 27 (3): 1094–1101. Retrieved 2026-05-03.

[Whitaker_1999-8] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 60, 211. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

[Wlasuk_2000-9] Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. p. 163. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.

[Grego_2015-10] Grego, P. (2015). "Satellite Crater". In Hargitai, H.; Kereszturi, Á. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3134-3_328.

[Lena_pau_2019-11] Lena, R.; Pau, K. C. (February 2019). "A lunar cryptomare dome near Cavalerius A and Hevelius A". Journal of the British Astronomical Association. 129 (1): 38–44. Bibcode:2019JBAA..129...38L.

[Dembowski_2006-12] Dembowski, William M. (October 2006). "Enigmatic lunar craters". Journal of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers, The Strolling Astronomer (ISSN 0039-2502). 48 (4): 27–31. Bibcode:2006JALPO..48d..27D.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

v t e Moon
Outline
Physical properties	Internal structure Topography Atmosphere Gravity field Hill sphere Magnetic field Sodium tail Moonlight Earthlight
Orbit	Orbital elements Distance Perigee and apogee Libration Nodes Nodal period Precession Syzygy New moon Full moon Eclipses Lunar eclipse Total penumbral lunar eclipse Tetrad Solar eclipse Solar eclipses on the Moon Eclipse cycle Supermoon Tide Tidal force Tidal locking Tidal acceleration Tidal range Kordylewski clouds Lunar station
Surface and features	Selenography Terminator Limb Hemispheres Near side Far side Poles North pole South pole Face Maria List Mountains Peak of eternal light Valleys Volcanic features Domes Calderas Lava tubes Craters List A–B C–F G–K L–N O–Q R–S T–Z Ray systems Permanently shadowed craters South Pole–Aitken basin Regolith swirls Rilles Wrinkle ridges Rocks Lunar basalt 70017 Changesite-(Y) Water Space weathering Micrometeorite Sputtering Quakes Transient lunar phenomenon Selenographic coordinate system
Science	Observation Libration Lunar theory Origin Giant-impact hypothesis Theia Lunar magma ocean Geology Timescale Late Heavy Bombardment Lunar meteorites KREEP Volcanism Experiments Lunar laser ranging ALSEP Lunar sample displays Apollo 11 Apollo 17 Lunar seismology
Exploration	Missions Apollo program Artemis program Explorers Probes Landing Colonization Moonbase Tourism Lunar habitation Lunar resources
Time-telling and navigation	Lunar calendar Lunisolar calendar Month Lunar month Nodal period Fortnight Sennight Lunar station Lunar distance
Phases and names	New Full Names Crescent Super and micro Blood Blue Dark Wet Tetrad
Daily phenomena	Moonrise Meridian passage Moonset
Related	Lunar deities Lunar effect Earth phase Moon illusion Pareidolia Man in the Moon Moon rabbit Craters named after people Artificial objects on the Moon Memorials on the Moon Moon in science fiction list Apollo era futuristic exploration Hollow Moon Moon landing conspiracy theories Moon Treaty "Moon is made of green cheese" Natural satellite Double planet Lilith (hypothetical second moon) Splitting of the Moon
Category

A page that knows where it met you.

Satellite craters

References