The unknown moon.
Lexicon of unofficial named formations on the moon's near side.
I collect and study unofficial lunar crater names. Each lunar map, lunar atlas or moonglobe will show differences in lunar formation-nomenclature. You see for example that on older lunar maps Gassendi A was 'Clarkson', Posidonius P was 'Giner', Gutenberg G was 'Vernet', Petavius B was 'Orus' and so on... As far as I know no one has ever came up with an a.b.c. of these names, so here's the (maybe most comprehensive) lexicon of unofficial named lunar formations ever.
Where did I found them?:
* Named Lunar Formations (Mary Blagg and K.Müller)
* Collated list of lunar formations; named and lettered in the maps of Neison, Schmidt and Mädler (second part of
Named Lunar Formations).
* Hallwag moonmap(s) (note: some Hallwag maps are not exactly the same and show minor differences in
nomenclature).
* Falk moonmap in Valdemar Firsoff's moonatlas (a real Bonanza of unofficial names!).
* Moonmap in Patrick Moore's Atlas of the universe (1983)
* New guide to the moon (Patrick Moore) (P. Moore and Percy Wilkins invented a whole bunch of unofficial lunar
crater names!)
* Philip's moonmap (sadly enough this map is grossly misprinted!)
* Op ontdekking in het maanland (Wanders) (in this book's lunar map all 'terra's' are included!).
* Maanmonografieen (moon-monographs) (De Meyer-1969/ Dethier-1989)
* A portfolio of lunar drawings (Harold Hill) (few unofficial names but very beautiful drawings!)
* Apollo preliminary science report (NASA) (most unofficial names are given by NASA scientists and Apollo-
astronauts: very useful during lunar observing!)
* Sky & telescope, Astronomy, and many, many more (sometimes vague) sources...
1. Abineri: Strabo A.
2. Alani mountains: the northern rim of Mare Crisium.
3. Aller: Langrenus K. (now: Atwood)
4. Alter: Albategnius G.
5. Ancient Newton': ghostcrater between Mons Pico and Plato
6. Andreus hills: between Gassendi and 'The helmet' (see 'Helmet').
7. Antoniadi: Hekataeus B. (the official Antoniadi is now on the backside of the moon)
8. Ant-Ural: part of the 'Montes Ural' and the Riphaeus range.
9. ‘Arcology row’: 8°30' north/ 3° east (name invented by a hardcore anomaly-seeker; I found it somewhere on the web).
10. Armenter: -vague- close to the Eddington, Struve and Russell-complex.
11. Arthur: Anaximenes C.
12. Asaph Hall: Inghirami D.(or: Baade ?)
13. Aymat: Sharp B.
14. Baldet: Cassini E.
15. Ball (L.F. Ball): -vague- to the west of Mare Humboldtianum.
16. Banat (promontorium): part of the Carpathians, at 17° north/ 26° west.
17. Barcroft: Dollond B. (not to be confused with Bancroft (Archimedes A/ 'Gant').
18. Barker: Orontius A.
19. 'Barker's quadrangle': -vague- a rhomboidal configuration somewhere in the southeast of Mare crisium.
20. Barrange: Marius A.
21. Bartlett: -vague- somewhere near 'Madler's square' (see 'Madler's square')
22. Barth: (now: Grove)
23. Baum: Sven Hedin F.
24. Bear mountain: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
25. Benitez: Pontanus C.
26. Bennett hill: near the Apollo 15 landing site, NASA name.
27. Bertaud: Sirsalis A.
Big rock mountain: in the 'Swann range' near the Apollo 15 landing site, NASA name.
28. 'Boot hill': boot-shaped hill to the south of Maskelyne, NASA name. Well observable from earth.
29. Bouvard: near Vallis Bouvard.
30. "Bridge of O'Neill": the non-existing 'bridge' between Promontorium Lavinium and Promontorium Olivium.
31. Buss: -vague- to the northwest of Riccioli.
32. Burrell: a lunar mystery; this seems to be a 'disappeared' crater near Hansteen and Sirsalis...
33. Caramuel: (now: Einstein).
34. Cassini (J.J. Cassini): -vague- Philolaus D? (exact position not known).
35. 'Cassini's bright spot': Hell Q (a concentrated fragment in one of Tycho's rays). Well observable during full
moon.
36. Cis-Neutra: a part of the 'Montes Pietrosul' (fragment of the Carpathians to the north of Copernicus).
37. Clarkson: Gassendi A.
38. 'Cobra head': "Source" of Vallis Schroteri (Schroter's Valley).
39. Comas Sola: -vague- between Vieta and Lagrange (Vieta A and B ?)
40. Cooke: Eimmart C.
41. Corax mountains: the southern rim of Mare Crisium.
42. Cortes: -very vague and doubtful- 'behind' Amundsen.
43. Coxwell mountains:- very vague and doubtful- the western rim of Mare Crisium(?).
44. Crackled hills: near the Apollo 15 landing site, NASA name.
45. D'Alembert mountains: one of the rims of Mare Orientale.
46. Danjon: incomplete walled plain between Kane and Gartner.
47. D-caldera: the enigmatic, D-shaped depression officialy named Dag, in Lacus Felicitatis. For photographs: see
Apollo 15 and 17 preliminary science reports.
48. De Bergerac: Carlini D.
49. Diamond-back rille: near the Apollo 11 landing site, NASA name.
50. Doerfel mountains (montes Dörfel): near Bailly (close to the lunar limb).
49. Dominique: Hercules A (now: Keldysh).
50. 'Drachen-auge' (Dragon's eye): part of Franz's 'dragon' (Mare Anguis: sea of serpents).
51. 'Drachenkamm': also a part of Franz's 'dragon' (see 34).
52. Dublier: Alphonsus D (?) H (?).
53. 'Duke island': small hill to the south of Maskelyne and southwest of 'Boot hill', NASA name.
54. Dupont: Pico E (also called 'Haas').
55. Dyson: -vague- Small crater to the north of Montes Carpatus.
56. East massif: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
57. Eddington: Reinhold B (the official Eddington is situated near Struve and Russell).
58. 'Egg in a nest': the very pronounced central peak of Alpetragius.
59. Einstein: Simpelius D (the official Einstein was 'Caramuel').
60. Emley: Capuanus E.
61. Epicurius: (now: De La Rue).
62. Faye ridge: (?) no position, possibly named by the Apollo10 crew.
63. Family mountain: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
64. Febrer: -vague- to the south of Schubert, somewhere near Mare Smythii.
Fermi: 9° north/ 90° west (I found this name on the far side map in Patrick Moore's Atlas of the universe-1970)
65. Fisher: Vitruvius B (?) K (?).
66. Fresa: -vague- somewhere near Montes Rook.
67. Gant: Archimedes A (now: Bancroft).
68. Garcia Gomez: Alpetragius B.
69. 'Gashes' (The gashes): small depressions near the Apollo 11 landing site (Statio Tranquillitatis/ Tranquillity base), NASA name.
70. Gay-Lussac (sinus): near 'Sinus Pietrosul' in the Carpathians.
71. Giner: Posidonius P. (my research begun with this crater...)
72. Graham: Peirce B. (now: Swift).
Great pass (The great pass): pass between Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis.
73. Gwilt: Ritter B (?) C (?).
74. Haas: Pico E (also 'Dupont').
75. Hallowes: -vague- to the southeast of Zeno.
76. Hare: Bailly B.
77. Harris: -vague- to the southwest of Grimaldi.
78. Hauet: Wurzelbauer D.
79. 'Helmet' (The helmet): the bright, 60 km. diameter area at 16°30' south/ 31° west, named by the Apollo 16
crew. Looks indeed like a helmet in the telescope! Best observable during full moon.
80. Hencke: (now: Daniell).
81. Hercynian mountains: to the west of the Struve/ Eddington-complex, close to the lunar limb.
82. Hill: Lockyer H.
83. Hill 305: near the Apollo 15 landing site, NASA name.
84. Horbiger: (now: Deslandres).
85. Incognito, mare (unknown sea): -very vague and doubtful- 'behind' Liddiard (see 'Liddiard')
86. Ingalls: Riciolli C.
87. Jackson-Gwilt: Plato A.
88. Jiyah: Mersenius D.
89. Juan: -very vague and doubtful- to the south of Mare Orientale.
90. Jungnitz: (now: Demonax).
91. Kephalinos: Hercules F.
92. 'Keyhole': the keyhole-shaped Fauth.
93. Krosigh: -vague- near Tobias Mayer and/or Promontorium Banat.
94. Lacus niger major (large black lake): Plato.
95. Lake Titicaca: one of the dark patches in Alphonsus, named by Pickering.
96. Landérer: to the west of Mersenius, Mersenius B (?).
97. La Paz: Byrgius A (bright crater during full moon, center of ray-system).
98. 'Last ridge': the last ridge before the Apollo 11-LEM landed at Statio Tranquillitatis.
99. Lee-Lincoln scarp: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
100. Leibnitz mountains: close to the lunar south pole, including Flammarion's 'Epsilon-peak': the 'mountain of
infinite illuminance'.
101. Lenham: Kies A.
102. Leon hills: to the north of Wichmann (Wichmann R-complex)
103. Liddiard: -vague- to the northeast of Gauss.
104. Lomonosov mountains: (now: Montes Archimedes). (found in 'The moon' by A. Markov).
105. Loro basin: to the west of Airy and to the north of Faye.
106. Lothrop hills: the 'Euler group' including Mons Vinogradov (Euler beta).
107. Lowe: -vague- to the east of Hartwig (between Hartwig and Grimaldi ?).
108. Lower: -vague- to the west of Mare Marginis.
109. Lyot: Ptolemaeus A (now: Ammonius), the official Lyot is situated near Mare Australe and was unofficially
named 'Pratdesaba'.
110. 'Madler's square': geometric configuration to the east of Fontenelle.
111. Mac Donald: Aristarchus F.
112. Matra: part of the 'Montes Pietrosul' (a fragment of the Carpathians to the north of Copernicus).
113. Melloni: -very vague and doubtful- somewhere in the southwestern 'corner' of Oceanus Procellarum.
114. Millas: Parrot C (Arzachel C ?).
115. Mishqui basin: south of Mare Crisium: 7° north/ 55° east.
116. Mitika peak: possibly Jansen alpha (hill).
117. Miyamori valley: between Riccioli and Lohrmann.
118. Mons Serao: to the east of Mons Wolf in the Apennine range.
119. Mons Whipple: La Hire alpha (hill).
120. Moore: Agatharchides A.
121. Moreux: Gambart C.
122. Morotcha: -very vague- somewhere in Mare Vaporum.
123. Moumouris: Aratus A (now: Galen).
124. Myriame: Eudoxus A.
125. Najéra: (?) somewhere near Sinus Roris (northwestern lunar limb).
126. Nebularum, palus: (Marsh of clouds): between Aristillus and Cassini.
127. Neutra: part of the 'Montes Pietrosul' (a fragment of the Carpathians to the north of Copernicus).
128. North massif: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
129. North ray crater: near the Apollo 16 landing site, NASA name. (together with 'South ray crater': observable
from earth; look for a very close pair during full moon).
130. Novellas: Agatharchides P
131. Novum (mare): -vague- to the northeast of Plutarch.
132. O'Kell: Williams ? Atlas E ? (some confusion between Atlas E, O'Kell and Williams).
133. 'Olblatt': Hansen B (?).
134. Oriani: -vague- different positions: near Eimmart and Plutarch.
135. Orus: Petavius B.
136. Paluzie: -vague- somewhere to the east of Messala.
137. Parvum, mare: -vague- to the southwest of Inghirami (close to the lunar limb).
138. Pavlov: -vague- to the east of Cyrillus. (found in: 'The moon' by A. Markov)
139. Percy mountains: the western rim of Mare Humorum.
140. Photographica, terra: -very doubtful-, area between Clavius and Zach.
141. Pietrosul, montes: fragment of the Carpathians to the north of Copernicus. 142. Pietrosul, sinus: bay in the
Carpathians (north of Copernicus).
143. Pierot: Darney C.
144. Polit: -vague- to the north or northeast of Mercurius.
145. Pollek: -very vague and doubtful- near Zach ?
146. Porthouse: Carlini B. (now: Mc Donald).
147. Pratdesaba: (now: Lyot).
148. Raurich: (now: Gibbs ?)
149. Recorde: -vague- to the east of Alhazen.
150. Reese: Pico B.
151. Reypastor: Faraday G.
152. Renato: Wurzelbauer D.
153. Riphaeus Boreus, Major, medius and minor: subdivisions of the Montes Riphaeus.
154. Rodes: Lalande A. (seems that there was another 'Rodes' to the south of Einstein).
155. Romana: Fracastorius D (or Polybius A ?: very bright during full moon).
156. Roy: Hesiodus B.
157. Rudaux: Lansberg C. 158. Sacco: -vague- somewhere near the moon's north pole.
159. Saheki: Grimaldi B.
160. Santa Cruz: -very vague- somewhere to the east of Furnerius.
161. Schlümberger: Lansberg D.
162. Schneckenberg: spiral- or snail-shaped area to the north of Hyginus.
163. Schupmann: Hell B.
164. 'Schwanzende': Eimmart T (part of Franz's 'dragon' near or at Mare Anguis).
165. Sculptured hills: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
166. Sector ('The sector'): bright triangular patch in Plato.
167. Serpentine ridge: wrinkle ridge across Mare Serenitatis (now: Dorsa Smirnov). 168. Semlja Novaja: part of the
'Montes Ural'.
169. Shackleton: -vague- somewhere near the moon's north pole (note that the official Shackleton is situated exactly
at the SOUTH pole !).
170. Sidewinder rille: near the Apollo 11 landing site, NASA name.
171. Silver spur: part of the mts. Apenninus, near the Apollo 15 landing site, NASA name.
172. Sisebuto: ?, two different positions: Pontanus D/ Legendre...
173. Smith: (now: Lamé).
174. Smoky mountain: near the Apollo 16 landing site, NASA name.
175. South massif: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
176. South ray crater: near the Apollo 16 landing site, NASA name. (see 'North ray crater' for comment).
177. Stag's horn mountains: the southern appendix of Rupes recta (the Straight wall).
178. Steavenson: Reichenbach A.
179. Stephanides: Römer A.
180. Stone mountain: near the Apollo 16 landing site, NASA name.
181. Struve: -vague- Schumacher K (?) P (?), Lacus Spei ? The official Struve is situated at the Russell/Eddington-
complex. There was also a 'Mare Struve' near Messala...
182. Swann range: near the Apollo 15 landing site, NASA name.
183. Tatra: a part of the 'Montes Pietrosul' (fragment of the Carpathians to the north of Copernicus).
184. Timoleon: -vague- to the south of Gauss.
185. Thornton: -vague- somewhere near Pythagoras.
186. Touchet: Maury A.
187. Trans Semlja: part of the 'Montes Ural'.
188. Trewman: Schwabe ? (?).
189. U.S. Highway N° 1 (or: U.S. 1): Rima Hypatia (near the Apollo 11 landing site, NASA name).
190. Valentine dome: Alika Herring's name for Linné alpha, a flat hill at 30° 30' north/ 10° east.
191. Vally: Langrenus F. (now: Bilharz).
192. Vernet: Gutenberg G.
193. Virgil: Bessarion E.
194. Voutzinas: Fracastorius B.
195. Wagner: Tobias Mayer C.
196. Ward: (now: Protagoras).
197. Wash basin: Maskelyne W, near the Apollo-11 landing site, NASA name.
198. Washbowl: Cassini A. (looks like a washbowl in the telescope).
199. Wessex cleft: near the Apollo 17 landing site, NASA name.
200. W. Pickering: Hipparchus G.
201. W.H. Pickering: Messier A.
202. Wood's spot: 200 km diam. area to the northwest of the Aristarchus/Herodotus/Vallis Schroteri-complex.
Very interesting: this is the most colored area on the moon, a kind of mustard/ yellowish khaki-grey; very well
observable during full moon.
203. Wright: Licetus F. (the official Wright is situated to the west of Lagrange).
204. Wright brothers: (now: Kiess and Widmänstätten in Mare Smythii).
205. Watts: -vague- to the east of Kästner.
206. 'Zungenspitze': part of Franz's 'dragon' (Mare Anguis).
To conclude this list: my own unofficial named feature on the moon.
207. Facula Caes: (Caes' little bright flame): a very bright minute patch or craterlet at 13°30' north/ 15°25' east (at
the top right corner of map 34 in Rükl's atlas; between the craters Menelaus and Julius Caesar). This high-
albedo craterlet is perhaps the brightest area on the (near side of the) moon, maybe many times brighter than
the brightest part of Aristarchus. Facula Caes is best observable during full moon.
Recently found unofficial names:
'Arcology row': 8° 20' north/ 3° east.
'Barbara Mesa': 1° 30' north/ 33° 30' east. NASA name.
'Bob's bend': the incomplete Maskelyne D. NASA name.