This mosaic of three images, taken by the advanced Moon Imaging Experiment (AMIE) on board ESA's SMART-1 spacecraft, shows the crater Mersenius C on the Moon.

AMIE obtained this sequence on 13 January 2006, from a distance of 1149, 1172, 1195 kilometres from the surface, respectively. The ground resolution ranges from 104 to 108 metres per pixel. All images are located at a longitude of 45.7º West, at latitudes of 21.3º South, 19.7º South and 18.1º South, respectively.

Crater Mersenius C is positioned in the highland area between Mare Humorum and the Oceanus Procellarum. The crater has a diameter of 14 kilometres and is best visible for ground-based observers 4 days after first quarter Moon.

It is named in honour of Marin Mersene, a French philosopher and physicist (1588 - 1648). The crater is surrounded by a system of so-called 'grabens', which are fractures that form when the lunar surface sinks slightly as a result of faults.

The crater is named in honour of Marin Mersenne, a French philosopher and physicist (1588-1648).

For more information

Bernard H. Foing, ESA SMART-1 Project Scientist
Email: bernard.foing @ esa.int

Jean-Luc Josset
AMIE Principal Investigator
SPACE-X Space Exploration Institute
Email: jean-luc.josset @ space-x.ch