KUON GEO

The Moon, named after Belgium

20 named features. The International Astronomical Union records why each name was chosen, and those reasons are printed below exactly as they were approved.

FEATURES · 20

NAMETYPESIZEWHY THAT NAME
Vendelinuscrater141.2 kmWendelin, Godefroid; Belgian astronomer (1580-1667).
Rupes Mercatorrupes132.4 kmNamed from nearby crater.
Langrenuscrater132 kmLangren, Michel Florent van; Belgian selenographer, engineer (c. 1600-1675).
Moretuscrater114.5 kmMoret, Theodore; Belgian mathematician (1602-1667).
Lemaîtrecrater93.7 kmGeorges Henri Joseph Édouard; Belgian mathematician (1894-1966).
Houzeaucrater76.8 kmJean-Charles-Hippolyte-Joseph de Lehaie; Belgian astronomer (1820-1888).
Malapertcrater72.4 kmCharles; Belgian astronomer, mathematician, philosopher (1581-1630).
Stevinuscrater71.5 kmStevin, Simon; Belgian mathematician, physicist (1548-1620).
Sartoncrater71.3 kmGeorge Alfred Leon; Belgian-American historian of science (1884-1956).
Stadiuscrater68.5 kmStade, Jan; Belgian astronomer, mathematician (1527-1579).
Mons Malapertmons67 kmNamed for nearby crater, Malapert.
Vesaliuscrater64.7 kmAndreas; Belgian doctor (1514-1564).
Queteletcrater54.8 kmLambert Aldophe Jacques; Belgian statistician, astronomer (1796-1874).
Heymanscrater46.5 kmCorneille-Jean-François; Belgian physiologist; Nobel laureate (1892-1968).
Mercatorcrater46.3 kmGerard De Kremer (Gerhardus Mercator); Belgian cartographer, geographer, mathematician (1512-1594).
De Roycrater43.5 kmFelix; Belgian astronomer (1883-1942).
Delportecrater42.5 kmEugène Joseph; Belgian astronomer (1882-1955).
Lansbergcrater38.8 kmPhilippe van; Belgian astronomer (1561-1632).
de Gerlachecrater32.7 kmAdrien; Belgian Antarctic explorer (1866-1934).
Tacquetcrater6.4 kmAndre; Belgian mathematician (1612-1660).
Names and their origins come from the IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature (USGS Astrogeology), retrieved 2026-08-14.
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DATA: IAU / USGS Astrogeology · NASA LRO LOLA