Spook (crater)

Lore & Background

Spook crater is located in the Descartes Highlands of the Moon, about 550 m west of the Apollo 16 Lunar Module Orion landing site. It lies between the prominent North Ray and South Ray craters. On April 21, 1972, astronauts John Young and Charles Duke explored the area during three EVAs using a Lunar Roving Vehicle. They stopped at Spook during EVA 2 on the return trip from Flag crater to the LM.

Geology Station 2 is adjacent to Spook, between it and the smaller, younger crater Buster to the north. Many samples were collected at the south rim of Buster. The Lunar Portable Magnetometer (LPM) was used at Spook, obtaining a reading of approximately 180 gamma, one of five such measurements at the landing site.

Spook cuts into the Cayley Formation of Imbrian age. The crater is approximately 340 m in diameter and over 20 m deep, and lies about 550 m west of the landing site.

Reader's Guide

Spook crater is significant as a specific geological station visited during the Apollo 16 mission, providing context for lunar surface exploration and sample collection. The magnetic field measurement taken there contributed to understanding the Moon's local magnetic properties. The crater's location in the Cayley Formation helps characterize the Imbrian-aged geology of the Descartes Highlands. Samples collected from the adjacent Buster crater rim, listed in the Apollo 16 Preliminary Science Report, have been studied to understand lunar crustal composition and impact processes. Spook's formal IAU designation in 1973 cemented its place in lunar nomenclature. The site remains a reference point for lunar geological mapping and for planning future exploration of the region between North Ray and South Ray craters.

Did You Know?

• The Lunar Portable Magnetometer recorded about 180 gamma at Spook.
• Spook is located about 550 m west of the Apollo 16 landing site.
• Spook was visited during EVA 2, not EVA 1.