Babbage (crater)

Babbage is an ancient impact crater near the northwestern limb of the Moon. It is attached to the southeastern rim of the prominent Pythagoras crater. An impact remnant called South crater encroaches on Babbage's southeastern floor.

The outer edge of Babbage has been eroded and modified by a multitude of subsequent impacts, until all that remains is a ring of rounded hills. The most notable of these modifications is the satellite crater Babbage E, which overlies the southwestern rim. The northeast rim of this satellite crater has disappeared and forms a bay at the perimeter of Babbage. Oenopides is another weathered formation attached to the southwestern edge of this bulge.

Location of Babbage Left lower body of image)

The outer ramps of Pythagoras overlap the soil of Babbage, forming a region of broken terrain in the northwestern part of its interior. The rest of the crater floor is relatively flat, although it is marked by many small impacts. The most notable feature on the inner floor is the satellite crater Babbage A, which lies in the southeastern part of the inner shelf. This impact has not worn down significantly, and appears much more recent than the rest of the formation. Just to the west of Babbage A is small Babbage C, a bowl-shaped formation.

The crater is named after the British mathematician Charles Babbage.

Satellite craters

Babbage environment. Photograph of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Babbage.

Satellite craters

Babbage Coordinates Diameter A 59°00′N 55°06′O / 59.0, -55.1 (Babbage A) 32 km B 57°06′N 59°42′O / 57.1, -59.7 (Babbage B) 7 km C 59°06′N 57°18′O / 59.1, -57.3 (Babbage C) 14 km D 58°36′N 61°00′O / 58.6, -61.0 (Babbage D) 68 km E 58°30′N 61°24′O / 58.5, -61.4 (Babbage E) 7 km U 60°54′N 51°18′O / 60.9, -51.3 (Babbage U) 5 km X 60°12′N 49°54′O / 60.2, -49.9 (Babbage X) 5 km