Appleton (crater)

Appleton
	LRO image
Coordinates	37°03′N 158°10′E / 37.05°N 158.17°E / 37.05; 158.17
Diameter	64.59 km (40.13 mi)
Depth	Unknown
Colongitude	203° at sunrise
Formation	Nectarian
Eponym	Edward V. Appleton

Appleton is a heavily eroded lunar impact crater that lies in the northern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon.³ To the northwest are the craters Von Neumann and Campbel. The smaller Golovin lies to the northeast, while further to the southwest is the Mare Moscoviense.

This formation dates to the Nectarian epoch of the lunar geologic timescale.² The crater wall and interior have been heavily eroded by many subsequent impacts, leaving the features rounded and irregular. A pair of craters lie across the southwestern rim, and two small craters lie along the eastern rim. The interior floor is irregular.⁴^: 32

This crater is named after British physicist Edward V. Appleton (1892–1965).⁵ Prior to its name being formally adopted by the IAU in 1970,¹ Appleton was called Crater 129.⁶

Appleton lies between satellite craters that are located on opposite sides of the rim. Appleton R is located just to the west-southwest, and contains another crater just inside its north rim. On the opposite side of Appleton is Appleton D, a comparably sized formation to Appleton R.

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 Appleton.

Appleton⁴^: 292	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
D	38.0° N	160.6° E	37 km
M	33.9° N	158.3° E	21 km
Q	34.3° N	155.3° E	26 km
R	36.2° N	156.2° E	39 km

References

"Appleton". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
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.
Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. pp. 99–100, 113. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.
Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
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)". unar Farside Chart (LFC-1) Series (2nd ed.). Lunar and Planetary Institute. October 1967. Retrieved 2026-05-17.

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.

External links

Media related to Appleton (lunar crater) at Wikimedia Commons

[GPN-1] "Appleton". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[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.

[Byrne_2008-3] Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. pp. 99–100, 113. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.

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

[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)". unar Farside Chart (LFC-1) Series (2nd ed.). Lunar and Planetary Institute. October 1967. Retrieved 2026-05-17.

1

2

3

4

5

6