Petit (crater)

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Not to be confused with Pettit (lunar crater).
Petit
Petit crater AS15-M-1626.jpg
Apollo 15 image
Coordinates2°18′N 63°30′E / 2.3°N 63.5°E / 2.3; 63.5Coordinates: 2°18′N 63°30′E / 2.3°N 63.5°E / 2.3; 63.5
Diameter5 km
Depth1 km
Colongitude297° at sunrise
EponymAlexis T. Petit
Oblique view from Apollo 10 (in color)
Interior of Petit, showing flat crater floor of impact melt with no visible craters
Oblique view from Apollo 16
Oblique view from Apollo 17

Petit is a small, bowl-shaped lunar impact crater that is located on the northwestern edge of the Mare Spumans. The crater has a prominent ray system. The name is appropriate, since Petit means small in French. But it was actually named in honor of Alexis Thérèse Petit, a French physicist.

The crater lies to the south of the crater Townley, and east of Condon. Farther to the northwest is Apollonius. Petit was previously designated Apollonius W before being given a name by the IAU.

External links[]

References[]

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