Date: 09 Mar 2006
Satellite: SMART-1
Depicts: Craters in northern polar region
Copyright: ESA/Space-X Space Exploration Institute

An image of craters W. Bond (large feature marked by two smaller crater on left of image) and C. Mayer (large isloated crater on lower right) located in northern central region of the Moon near Mare Frigoris. 

The image is a composite of five AMIE images acquired on 5 and 6 February 2006, from altitudes ranging between 2685 km (bottom of the composite) and 2709 km (top). Each individual snapshot, taken with the AMIE clear filter, is a square of side about 135 kilometres. The whole composite covers approximately 270 kilometres.

C. Mayer

W. Bond

Crater W. Bond, named after an American astronomer, is one of the larger craters on the lunar surface and is classified as from the pre-nectarian period. Pre-nectarian features are the oldest features on the lunar surface dating from over 4 billion years ago. 

The outer rim of the original W. Bond crater has been eroded and reshaped, and now it basically consists of an outline of hills and mounts. The interior floor is relatively flat in comparison with the rim region, although there are sections of rough terrain near the northern rim.

In the centre of the walled plain is a rille that runs toward east. To the southeast of this formation is W. Bond B, a circular, simple bowl-shaped crater.