Clairaut (crater)


Clairaut is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon's near side. It lies directly to the south of the crater Maurolycus and southeast of Barocius. Just to the southwest is Cuvier.
This crater has been eroded and damaged by subsequent impacts, particularly in the southern half of the formation. The satellite crater Clairaut A lies across the southeastern rim. The southern rim has been modified by several small craters, including Clairaut B. On the southeastern interior floor is the small crater Clairaut C. In the northern part of the floor is a merged crater pair Clairaut D. Clairaut E is attached to the exterior of the northwest rim.
The inner wall of Clairaut has been softened by impacts until now it forms a simple slope down to the relatively flat floor, at least where the floor has not been marked by impacts. There is a minor inward bulge along the inner wall to the west-northwest.

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 Clairaut.
ClairautLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A48.9° S14.8° E36 km
B48.3° S12.6° E43 km
C48.1° S13.5° E17 km
D47.3° S14.2° E12 km
E46.4° S12.6° E29 km
F46.0° S14.5° E23 km
G47.2° S11.7° E6 km
H48.9° S12.1° E9 km
J45.7° S12.7° E14 km
K49.7° S14.0° E12 km
M46.1° S13.8° E5 km
P49.0° S11.8° E9 km
R48.0° S15.9° E15 km
S47.5° S16.3° E22 km