Daedalus (crater)

Daedalus
	The lunar farside crater Daedalus from Apollo 11 (NASA photo)
Coordinates	5°54′S 179°24′E / 5.9°S 179.4°E
Diameter	93 km
Depth	3.0 km
Colongitude	181° at sunrise
Eponym	Daedalus

Daedalus is a prominent crater located near the center of the far side of the Moon.^[1] This formation dates to the Early Imbrian epoch of the lunar geologic timescale.^[2] The inner wall is terraced, and there is a cluster of central peaks on the relatively flat floor. The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified on the central peaks.^[3] The smaller crater Daedalus B is attached to the north northeastern rim.

Because its location is shielded from radio emissions from the Earth, it has been proposed as the site of a future giant radio telescope.^[4] This would be scooped out of the crater itself, much like the Arecibo radio telescope, but on a vastly larger scale.

The crater is named after Daedalus of Greek myth.^[5] It is pictured in famous photographs taken by the Apollo 11 astronauts. In contemporary sources it was called Crater 308 (this was a temporary IAU designation that preceded the establishment of far-side lunar nomenclature).^[6]

Nearby craters of note include Icarus to the east and Racah to the south. Less than a crater diameter to the north-northeast is Lipskiy.

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 Daedalus.

Daedalus	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
B	4.1° S	179.8° W	23 km
C	4.1° S	178.9° W	68 km
G	6.6° S	177.4° W	33 km
K	8.3° S	178.5° W	24 km
M	8.1° S	179.5° E	13 km
R	7.7° S	175.2° E	41 km
S	6.8° S	172.9° E	20 km
U	4.2° S	174.9° E	30 km
W	3.5° S	177.5° E	70 km

On the lunar geologic timescale, Daedalus U is a degraded crater that dates from the Nectarian period.^[7]

References

↑ Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.
↑ Tompkins, Stefanie; Pieters, Carle M. (January 1999). "Mineralogy of the lunar crust: Results from Clementine". Meteoritics & Planetary Science. 34 (1): 25–41. Bibcode:1999M&PS...34...25T. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1999.tb01729.x.
↑ 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.
↑ Graham-Rowe, Duncan (January 3, 2002). "Astronomers plan telescope on Moon". New Scientist. Retrieved 2026-05-15.
↑ Menzel, D. H.; et al. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews. 12 (2): 136–186. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.
↑ "Lunar Farside Chart (LFC-1A)" (2nd ed.). Lunar & Planetary Institute. October 1967. Retrieved 2026-05-15.
↑ Purohit, Suchit; et al. (October 10, 2018). "Automatic crater classification framework based on shape parameters". Current Science. 115 (7). Current Science Association: 1351–1358. JSTOR 26978409.

Sources

Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature". USGS. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 978-0-936389-27-1.
McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
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.
Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. Reprint: ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3
Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.

External links

Lunar Orbiter photographic atlas, Photo Number II-033-M

[Moore_2000-1] Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.

[Tompkins_Pieters_1999-2] Tompkins, Stefanie; Pieters, Carle M. (January 1999). "Mineralogy of the lunar crust: Results from Clementine". Meteoritics & Planetary Science. 34 (1): 25–41. Bibcode:1999M&PS...34...25T. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1999.tb01729.x.

[Donaldson_Hanna_et_al_2014-3] 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.

[Graham-Rowe_2002-4] Graham-Rowe, Duncan (January 3, 2002). "Astronomers plan telescope on Moon". New Scientist. Retrieved 2026-05-15.

[Menzel_et_al_1971-5] Menzel, D. H.; et al. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews. 12 (2): 136–186. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.

[LFC-1A-6] "Lunar Farside Chart (LFC-1A)" (2nd ed.). Lunar & Planetary Institute. October 1967. Retrieved 2026-05-15.

[Purohit_et_al_2018-7] Purohit, Suchit; et al. (October 10, 2018). "Automatic crater classification framework based on shape parameters". Current Science. 115 (7). Current Science Association: 1351–1358. JSTOR 26978409.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

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 Black 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

Satellite craters

See also

References

Sources

External links