Santbech (crater)


Santbech is a lunar impact crater that is located to the southeast of Mare Nectaris. It lies south-southwest of the prominent crater Colombo. About one crater diameter to the east-northeast is the smaller Monge. The terrain around the crater, although rugged in places, has been flooded by lava and so has a low albedo and a relatively flat surface. It was named after the 16th-century Dutch mathematician and astronomer Daniel Santbech Noviomagus. It is from the Pre-Imbrian period, 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago.
The outer rim of this crater stands above the surrounding terrain, with an irregular outer. The rim perimeter is somewhat irregular, and has been disturbed in several locations by subsequent impacts. There are small craters along the eastern and northwestern rim, and an asymmetrical formation along the southern inner wall. The northern rim is uneven, with a diagonal gouge running to the southeast. Much of the interior floor is level and nearly featureless, with a small central peak offset to the north-northeast of the midpoint.

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 Santbech.
SantbechLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A24.2° S42.3° E25 km
B24.7° S41.6° E16 km
C22.3° S39.5° E18 km
D21.0° S45.2° E8 km
E22.3° S44.8° E12 km
F25.5° S41.9° E13 km
G22.9° S44.5° E5 km
H20.4° S42.8° E10 km
J19.7° S43.3° E14 km
K19.1° S43.1° E10 km
L21.3° S39.4° E8 km
M20.4° S39.3° E13 km
N20.8° S39.6° E13 km
P21.3° S40.0° E9 km
Q23.2° S39.0° E12 km
R23.3° S38.9° E5 km
S23.5° S39.1° E10 km
T24.1° S38.1° E5 km
U24.0° S38.8° E9 km
V24.6° S39.3° E7 km
W24.3° S40.7° E13 km
X25.2° S42.5° E7 km
Y25.2° S42.9° E8 km
Z25.8° S43.1° E5 km