Antoniadi: Landmark Crater of Minnaert

Feature Profile & Selenographic Data

Feature type

crater

Coordinates

69.3° S · 173.1° W

Diameter

137.9 km

Depth

3.6 km

IAU approval

1970/01/01 00:00:00

LAC quadrangle

LAC-141 · Minnaert

Geological Period

Nectarian

Geological Chronicle

Located in the LAC-141 (Minnaert) quadrangle, Antoniadi is a prominent walled plain spanning 137.9 kilometers in diameter, formed during the Nectarian epoch.

The crater interior descends 3.6 kilometers deep, bound by massive terraced rim scarps that enclose a broad floor modified by impact melt and subsequent micrometeorite degradation.

The International Astronomical Union officially designated the crater in honor of Eugène Michael; Turkish-born French astronomer (1870-1944)., establishing it as a recognized feature in modern lunar cartography.

Chronology & Exploration

1. ≈ 3.9 Ga Excavation Event

   Formation of Antoniadi during the Nectarian period of intense lunar bombardment.

2. 1935 / 1970 IAU Designation

   Officially codified in the IAU planetary catalog in honor of Eugène Michael; Turkish-born French astronomer (1870-1944)..

3. 2009–Present LRO Laser Altimetry

   Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LOLA) maps precise digital elevation models and morphology.

Scientific Sources & References

• IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature — Antoniadi — Official cartographic coordinates, diameter, and namesake record.
• Wikipedia — Antoniadi — Selenographic context, morphological structure, and historical observations.
• NASA LROC — Antoniadi Regional Map — Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera topographic data and LOLA elevation benchmarks.

Name Origin

Eugène Michael; Turkish-born French astronomer (1870-1944).