Cleomedes is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the northeast part of the visible Moon, to the north of Mare Crisium. It is surrounded by rough ground with multiple crater impacts. The irregular crater Tralles intrudes into the northwest rim. To the east is Delmotte. North of Cleomedes is a triple-crater formation with Burckhardt occupying the center.
On the lunar geologic timescale, Cleomedes is one of the largest craters of Nectarian age. The outer wall of Cleomedes is heavily worn and eroded, especially along the southern part of the wall. Cleomedes C lies across the south-southwest rim. The crater floor is nearly flat, with a small central peak to the north of the midpoint, forming a linear ridge toward the north-northeast. The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified on the central peak. There are several notable craterlets on the floor, including a pair of overlapping craters just inside the northwest rim.
A rille named Rima Cleomedes crosses the northern floor, running southeast from the northwest rim. This rille branches in a fork after crossing the crater mid-line. Smaller clefts lie in the southeast part of the floor. A pair of lunar domes have been identified to the south of Cleomedes crater.
This formation is named after the Greek astronomer Cleomedes (unkn-c. 50 B.C.). His name was included in the lunar nomenclature of the Italian astronomer Giovanni B. Riccioli in 1651. Its designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.
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 Cleomedes.
CleomedesLatitudeLongitudeDiameterA28.9° N55.0° E12 kmB27.2° N55.9° E11 kmC25.7° N54.9° E14 kmD29.3° N61.9° E25 kmE28.6° N54.4° E21 kmF22.6° N56.9° E12 kmG24.0° N57.3° E20 kmH22.4° N57.6° E6 kmJ26.9° N56.8° E10 kmL23.8° N54.4° E7 kmM24.2° N51.6° E6 kmN24.8° N52.5° E6 kmP24.8° N56.4° E9 kmQ24.9° N56.9° E4 kmR29.5° N60.2° E15 kmS29.5° N59.0° E8 kmT25.8° N57.7° E11 km
References Reprint:
Table 9-4.
External links High resolution lunar overflight video by Seán Doran, based on LRO data, that passes over Mare Crisium and ends over Cleomedes (see album for more)