Dawes (lunar crater)

For the crater on Mars, see Dawes (Martian crater).

Dawes is a lunar impact crater located in the wide straight between Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquilitatis. To its southwest lies the larger crater Plinius, and to its northeast sits the Mons Argaeus mountain rise. It is named after British astronomer William Rutter Dawes.^[1]

Oblique view facing south from Apollo 17

Layers of mare basalt affected the paths of granular material that flowed down the crater wall. The top of the image is down-slope. From LRO.

The crater area in selenochromatic format (Si). More infos here : https://www.gawh.it/main/selenocromatica

Dawes

Dawes from Apollo 17. NASA photo.
Coordinates	17.2°N 26.4°E / 17.2; 26.4
Diameter	18 km
Depth	2.3 km
Colongitude	334° at sunrise
Eponym	William R. Dawes

Description

Dawes is circular with a sharp rim that has a slightly flattened oval perimeter. It has a slight central rise, and a somewhat darker floor that is nearly covered in overlapping swirl-like deposits. Much of the deposits are slumped or fall-back material. The inner walls are steep and free from impact erosion. Northeast of Dawes is a rille known as Rima Dawes.

Detailed examination of this crater has located what appear to be alcoves and channels along the inner rim. It is hypothesized that micrometeorite impacts along the rim trigger dry landslides, which produce a gully-like appearance. A similar phenomenon may be responsible for gully-like features along the inner rim of some Martian craters.^[2]