Boussingault appears highly oblong near the Moon’s southeast limb

Feature Profile & Selenographic Data

Feature type

crater

Coordinates

70.21° S · 53.73° E

Diameter

127.61 km

IAU approval

1935/01/01 00:00:00

LAC quadrangle

LAC-138 · Manzinus

Geological Period

Pre-Nectarian

Geological Chronicle

Boussingault lies near the Moon’s rugged southeast limb. Because of its location, it appears highly oblong due to foreshortening. Boguslawsky is southwest, Helmholtz almost touches its northeast rim, and Neumayer lies east-southeast.

Boussingault A lies entirely within the outer walls, giving the crater a double-walled appearance. Only the southern floor remains, pitted by multiple small craterlets. The outer rim is worn; Boussingault K crosses the northwest rim, and Boussingault E, B, and C form an overlapping triple crater to the northwest.

The formation dates to the Pre-Nectarian period. German astronomer J. H. von Mädler introduced the name into lunar nomenclature during the 19th century. The International Astronomical Union formally adopted the designation in 1935. The crater is named for French chemist Jean B. Boussingault (1802-1887).

Chronology & Exploration

1. Pre-Nectarian Crater formation

   Boussingault’s formation dates to the Pre-Nectarian period.

2. 19th century Name enters lunar nomenclature

   German astronomer J. H. von Mädler introduced the name Boussingault into lunar nomenclature.

3. 1935 Designation adopted

   The International Astronomical Union formally adopted Boussingault’s designation.

Scientific Sources & References

• IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature — Registry values for the crater’s coordinates, diameter, and name origin.
• Wikipedia — Boussingault (crater) — Localized source text for morphology, period, and naming history.

Name Origin

Jean Baptiste Dieudonne; French chemist (1802-1887).