IWLOP #069 - Aristillus & Autolycus

Two outstanding craters in the Mare Imbrium that contrast nicely in size. They are both Copernican era impacts with Aristillus featuring a notable ejecta blanket.

Location: 33.9 N 1.2 E    Origin: Impact    Size: 55 km (Aristillus), 39 km (Autolycus)    Rukl: 12    Type: Complex Craters (CC)

Objects: Aristillus, Autolycus, Sinus Lunicus, Luna 2 landing, and Aristillus A, B, C, & D
Others Identified: Alpetragious, Alphonsus, Ammonius, Arzachel, Herschel, Nonius, Ptolemaeus, Thebit, Walther


Location: Home
Date: 2018-09-17
Time: 8:05 PM ADT
Equipment: 10" Meade SCT
Eyepiece: 10mm + x2 Barlow

Magnification: x500
Seeing: Good (3)
Transparency: Good (3)

R1: The ejects blanket of Aristillus rays out from its high crater sides. Autolycus doesn't appear to have ejecta to the same degree and is shallower than Aristillus. 
R2: The rays from Aristillus were spread over the adjacent areas of Autolycus and reached to Archimedes.
R3: Sinus Lunicus was to the west. It's shores appeared to be defined in the triangle formed by Autolycus, Aristillus and Archimedes. I questioned whether Montes Spitzbergen created part of the border with Mare Imbrium. The Luna 2 landing site was SW of Autolycus and E of Archimedes.

C1: Very small secondary craters (A, B, C, D) were located near Aristillus and appeared to be located along the ejecta lines / rays.

 

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