Geological Chronicle
Shorty is an impact crater in the Taurus-Littrow valley measuring 110 meters in diameter and reaching a depth of 14 meters. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt visited the site in 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission.
The crater is the location of lunar orange soil, which geologists believe to be bits of rapidly-cooled molten rock ejected in an ancient lava fountain. The impact penetrated avalanche deposits and basalt flows to expose underlying orange and black glass layers, scattering glass clods and basalt boulders across the surrounding ejecta blanket.
The crater was named after the character Shorty in Richard Brautigan's 1967 novel Trout Fishing in America, as well as to honor the short story genre with reference to J. D. Salinger. Shorty lies west of Victory, Camelot, and the Apollo 17 landing site.