science

Menelaus (crater)

Menelaus (crater) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Menelaus (crater) rather than just read about it. In short: Menelaus () is a young lunar impact crater located on the southern shore of Mare Serenitatis near the eastern end of the Montes Hæmus mountain range. Its diameter is 27 km.

Key takeaways

Menelaus (crater) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Menelaus (crater) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Menelaus (crater) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Menelaus () is a young lunar impact crater located on the southern shore of Mare Serenitatis near the eastern end of the Montes Hæmus mountain range. Its diameter is 27 km. T. W. Webb described it as "a very steep crater...with a ring very brilliant" at full Moon. To the southwest is the small crater Auwers, and to the west-southwest is the even smaller Daubrée. To the northeast is a faint rille system named the Rimae Menelaus. The wall of Menelaus is slightly irregular in outline, with a high, sharp rim and terraced inner walls. The infrared spectrum of pure crystalline plagioclase has been identified along the east and northeast walls. The interior has a high albedo that is prominent under high sun angles. There are several ridges on the floor. It has a moderate ray system, with the most prominent ray aligned to the north-northeast across the Mare Serenitatis. The location of this ray and slightly off-center central peak suggest an impact at a relatively low angle. Menelaus is named after the ancient Greek astronomer Menelaus of Alexandria (c. 70 – 140 CE). Like many of the craters on the Moon's near side, it was given its name by Giovanni Riccioli, whose 1651 nomenclature system has become standardized. Earlier lunar cartographers had given the feature different names. Michael van Langren's 1645 map calls it "Mariae Imp. Rom." after Maria Anna, the Holy Roman Empress. And Johannes Hevelius called it "Byzantium (urbs)" after the city of Byzantium.

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 Menelaus.

The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.

Menelaus S - See Daubrée.

Gallery

References

Sources

External links Media related to Menelaus (crater) at Wikimedia Commons LTO-42D3 Menelaus — L&PI topographic map Small crater at the Southern Rim of Menelaus - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter page - featuring the photo, an interactive photo and information Wood, Chuck (September 7, 2004). "Helen's Husband". Lunar Photo of the Day. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2017. Wood, Chuck (February 19, 2008). "Yes". Lunar Photo of the Day. Wood, Chuck (March 12, 2008). "Craters, Rings, Spots, and Rays During Full Moon". Lunar Photo of the Day. - includes the crater Menelaus

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Menelaus (crater)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Menelaus (crater) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Menelaus (crater) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Menelaus (crater) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Menelaus (crater)

In research: Menelaus (crater) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Menelaus (crater) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Menelaus (crater) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Impact craters on the Moon, LQ12 quadrangle, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Menelaus (crater) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Menelaus (crater) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Menelaus (crater) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Menelaus (crater) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Menelaus (crater) in simple terms?

Menelaus () is a young lunar impact crater located on the southern shore of Mare Serenitatis near the eastern end of the Montes Hæmus mountain range. Its diameter is 27 km.

Why does Menelaus (crater) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Menelaus (crater)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Menelaus (crater).