Dechen (crater)

Dechen
	Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	46°06′N 68°12′W / 46.1°N 68.2°W
Diameter	12.04 km (7.48 mi)
Depth	Unknown
Colongitude	68° at sunrise
Eponym	Ernst H. K. von Dechen

Dechen is a small, bowl-shaped crater that is located in the northwest part of the Oceanus Procellarum, near the northwest limb of the Moon. The rim of the crater projects slightly above the surrounding lunar mare, and the interior is symmetrical and nearly featureless.^[2]^: 22 It lies to the northeast of the crater Harding, but is otherwise relatively isolated.^[3]

This formation is named after German geologist and mineralogist Ernst Heinrich Karl von Dechen (1800-1889).^[1] His name was included in the lunar nomenclature of German astronomer J. F. Julius Schmidt in 1878.^[4] 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 Dechen.^[5]

Dechen^[2]^: 296	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
A	46.0° N	65.7° W	5 km
B	44.2° N	64.3° W	6 km
C	45.9° N	69.9° W	6 km
D	46.2° N	60.5° W	5 km

References

1 2 3 "Dechen". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
↑ Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 131, 224. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
↑ 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.

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 "Dechen". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2026-08-04.

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

[Moore_2001-3] Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.

[Whitaker_1999-4] Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. pp. 131, 224. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.

[Grego_2015-5] 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.

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Satellite craters

References

Sources