Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

Clavius to Moretus

By Richard Hill  |  1 Apr 2022

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

The monster crater on the left side is the 231km diameter Clavius, one of the larger craters on the nearside of the Moon. This crater is named after Christopher Clavius a 16th-17th century Jesuit mathematician and astronomer with the Vatican commission that accepted the proposed Gregorian calendar. He was one of the first to accept Galileo’s astronomical observations with his new telescope though he doubted the reality of mountains on the Moon. Now he is part of that Moon! Science fiction aficionados may recognize this crater from 2001 A Space Odyssey as the location of the obelisk.

Clavius has a fabulous arc of smaller craters on its floor starting with Rutherfurd (56km) on the bottom wall of Clavius up to Clavius-D (28km) above it, then farther on is Clavius-C (21km) and next is Clavius-N (13km) ending with Clavius-J (12km). This distinctive arc of craters makes Clavius very identifiable. Notice the radial streaks of impact ejecta from Rutherfurd across the floor of the great crater. Also notice the small piece of a flat ridge catching the first sunlight just to the right of Rutherfurd and next to it on the Clavius crater wall is an odd little wisp that is a breach in the wall itself as seen on the LROC QuickMap. Below Clavius is the shadow filled Blancanus and further below is the spectacular crater Moretus with its beautifully terraced walls and clear central peak, very like Tycho just north of Clavius.

Above left of Moretus is Gruemberger (97km) and to the right of that is Cysatus (51km). Then to the right of Moretus is Curtius (99km). North of Curtius, just above the mid-line of the image, is the flat floored crater Zach (73km). Above right of Zach is a curious gathering of merged and flooded craters. It’s not named but is still fascinating and intricate in detail. One of those unnamed treasure you can find all over the Moon!

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Science, Baptists and the Underground Railroad

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  1 Apr 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Venus Has More Than 85,000 Individual Volcanic Landforms!

By Robert Trembley  |  30 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 6 April, 2023

By Robert Trembley  |  29 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Centuries of Stargazing Leave Jesuit Names Written in the Heavens

New York Times  |  29 Mar 2023  |  Press

Archives

      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Richard Hill

The Northern Mountains

By Richard Hill  |  22 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Planetary Flyby

By Richard Hill  |  7 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Dividing Mountains

By Richard Hill  |  5 Mar 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Langrenus Ignored

By Richard Hill  |  27 Dec 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Gambart

By Richard Hill  |  23 Nov 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

The second eclipse

By Richard Hill  |  9 Nov 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard