Bullialdus
Location: ·
A miniature Copernicus in Mare Nubium — terraced walls around a central peak.
The Moon Mineralogy Mapper found hydroxyl concentrated on the central peak of Bullialdus in 2013, well above the level in the surrounding mare. Surface hydroxyl produced by the solar wind varies with latitude and time of day; this does not, which points to water bound in the minerals themselves.
Central peaks bring up material from several kilometres down, so the detection is evidence for water in the lunar interior rather than on its surface - the first such measurement made remotely, and a constraint on how dry the Moon's mantle can be.
Sunrise
Sunset
Sunrise and sunset on Bullialdus
| Event | Time | Lit |
|---|---|---|
| Computing… | ||
- Sunrise / Sunset: at the feature's centre (IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature).
- Lit: the illuminated fraction of the Moon's disc at that moment.
Named after
Ismaël Boulliau, latinised Bullialdus, French astronomer (1605–1694).
Further info
Official record from the IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature: Bullialdus
Wikipedia: Bullialdus (crater)