Hyginus (crater)


Hyginus is a small lunar caldera located at the east end of the Sinus Medii. It was named after ancient Roman astronomer Gaius Julius Hyginus. Its rim is split by a long, linear rille Rima Hyginus that branches to the northwest and to the east-southeast for a total length of 220 kilometers. The crater is deeper than the rille, and lies at the bend where they intersect. Together the crater Hyginus and Rima Hyginus form a distinctive and prominent feature in an otherwise flat surface. Smaller craterlets can also be discerned along the length of this rille, possibly caused by a collapse of an underlying structure.
Hyginus is one of the few craters on the Moon that was not created as a result of an impact, and is instead believed to be volcanic in origin. It lacks the raised outer rim that is typical with impact craters.
Hyginus was also considered a possible landing site during the Apollo Program, because it was thought to possibly be a site of active volcanism.

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Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Hyginus.
HyginusLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A6.3° N5.7° E8 km
B7.6° N5.1° E6 km
C7.7° N8.3° E5 km
D11.4° N4.3° E5 km
E8.7° N8.5° E4 km
F8.0° N8.6° E4 km
G11.0° N6.0° E4 km
H6.0° N7.0° E4 km
N10.5° N7.4° E11 km
S6.4° N8.0° E29 km
W9.7° N7.7° E22 km
Z8.0° N9.5° E28 km