Colombo (crater)

Colombo
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	15°16′S 46°01′E / 15.26°S 46.02°E
Diameter	79.02 km (49.10 mi)
Depth	2.4 km (1.5 mi)
Colongitude	315° at sunrise
Eponym	Christopher Columbus

Colombo is a lunar impact crater that lies on the strip of rough continental terrain between Mare Fecunditatis to the east and Mare Nectaris in the west.^[2] It is located to the south of the crater Goclenius,^[3] and northwest of Cook.^[2]

The rim of Colombo is circular, although slightly indented along the northwest where Colombo A intrudes slightly into the interior.^[2] The inner wall is asymmetrical, being much more narrow to the north and northwest and wider to the southeast. The eastern inner wall is broad and complex.^[4] The rim is somewhat eroded, and several tiny craterlets lie along the inner wall to the southeast.^[5]^: 79 The small satellite concentric crater [uk] Colombo B lies across the south-southwestern rim.^[6] There is a small group of central peaks,^[4] on which infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified.^[7]

This formation is named for the Italian-Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus (1451-1506).^[1] His name was introduced in the lunar nomenclature of Johann H. von Mädler during the 19th century.^[8] Its designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[1]

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 Colombo.

Colombo^[5]^: 295	Coordinates	Diameter
A	14°11′S 44°28′E / 14.18°S 44.46°E / -14.18; 44.46 (Colombo A)	40.8 km
B	16°25′S 45°10′E / 16.41°S 45.16°E / -16.41; 45.16 (Colombo B)	13.5 km
E	15°49′S 42°23′E / 15.82°S 42.38°E / -15.82; 42.38 (Colombo E)	14.9 km
G	14°01′S 43°26′E / 14.01°S 43.44°E / -14.01; 43.44 (Colombo G)	9.0 km
H	17°27′S 44°08′E / 17.45°S 44.13°E / -17.45; 44.13 (Colombo H)	14.1 km
J	14°18′S 43°37′E / 14.3°S 43.62°E / -14.3; 43.62 (Colombo J)	6.0 km
K	15°50′S 46°26′E / 15.83°S 46.44°E / -15.83; 46.44 (Colombo K)	5.0 km
M	14°38′S 47°48′E / 14.64°S 47.8°E / -14.64; 47.8 (Colombo M)	15.7 km
P	15°07′S 47°54′E / 15.11°S 47.9°E / -15.11; 47.9 (Colombo P)	5.9 km
T	18°58′S 45°28′E / 18.97°S 45.46°E / -18.97; 45.46 (Colombo T)	10.0 km

References

1 2 3 "Colombo". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
1 2 3 Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. pp. 220–221. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
↑ "LAC 79" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
1 2 Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 217. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ Trang, D.; Gillis-Davis, J. J.; Hawke, B. R. (2016). "The origin of lunar concentric craters". Icarus. 278: 62–78. Bibcode:2016Icar..278...62T. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.06.001. (Colombo B is number 103 in the table in supplements).
↑ Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.
↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 120, 219. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

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.

[GPN-1] 1 2 3 "Colombo". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Moore_2001-2] 1 2 3 Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. pp. 220–221. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[LAC-79-3] "LAC 79" (PDF). Gazeteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 2026-07-10.

[Grego_2005-4] 1 2 Grego, Peter (2005). The Moon and How to Observe It. Astronomers' Observing Guides Series. London: Springer-Verlag. p. 217. ISBN 1-85233-748-6.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-5] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

[Trang_2016-6] Trang, D.; Gillis-Davis, J. J.; Hawke, B. R. (2016). "The origin of lunar concentric craters". Icarus. 278: 62–78. Bibcode:2016Icar..278...62T. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.06.001. (Colombo B is number 103 in the table in supplements).

[Donaldson_Hanna_et_al_2014-7] Donaldson Hanna, K. L.; et al. (July 2014). "Global assessment of pure crystalline plagioclase across the Moon and implications for the evolution of the primary crust". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 119 (7): 1516–1545. Bibcode:2014JGRE..119.1516D. doi:10.1002/2013JE004476.

[Whitaker_1999-8] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 120, 219. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

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Satellite craters

References

Sources