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Crater characteristics
Lunar crater Linné from orbit. NASA photo.
Coordinates	27°42′N 11°48′E / 27.7°N 11.8°E / 27.7; 11.8Coordinates: 27°42′N 11°48′E / 27.7°N 11.8°E / 27.7; 11.8
Diameter	2.4 km
Depth	0.6 km
Colongitude	348° at sunrise
Eponym	Carl von Linné

Linné is a small lunar impact crater located in the western Mare Serenitatis. The mare around this feature is virtually devoid of other features of interest. The nearest named crater is Banting to the east-southeast.

The estimated age of this crater is only a few tens of millions of years. It has a bowl shape, and is surrounded by a blanket of ejecta formed during the original impact. This ejecta has a relatively high albedo, making the feature appear bright.

In 1866, the experienced lunar observer and mapmaker Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt made the surprising claim that Linné had changed its appearance. Instead of a normal, somewhat deep crater it had become a mere white patch. A controversy arose that continued for many decades. However, this crater size tests the limit of visual perception of Earth-based telescopes. In conditions of poor seeing this feature can appear to vanish from sight[1] (see also transient lunar phenomenon).

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Linné.

The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.

• Linné E — See Banting (crater).

References

• Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A., (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.  
• Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature". USGS. http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/. Retrieved 2007-08-05.  
• Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-81528-2.  
• Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 0-936389-27-3.  
• McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. http://host.planet4589.org/astro/lunar/. Retrieved 2007-10-24.  
• Menzel, D. H.; Minnaert, M.; Levin, B.; Dollfus, A.; Bell, B. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by The Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews 12: 136. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1971SSRv...12..136M.  
• Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 0-304-35469-4.  
• Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521335000.  
• Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 0-913135-17-8.  
• Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revision ed.). Dover. ISBN 0-486-20917-2.  
• Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62248-4.  
• Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 1852331933.  

External links

• LTO-42A4 Linne — L&PI topographic map