Cuvier (crater)
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| Crater characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50.3° S, 9.9° E |
| Diameter | 75 km |
| Depth | 3.8 km |
| Colongitude | 351° at sunrise |
| Eponym | Georges Cuvier |
Cuvier is a lunar crater that is located on the southern part of the Moon's near side. It is attached to the east-southeast rim of the unusual Heraclitus crater. To the northeast is the Clairaut crater.
The rim of this crater has been worn and eroded by subsequent impacts, leaving an outer wall that has been rounded and diminished in prominence. There is a small but notable crater pair laying across the northern rim, and two other smaller craters lay along the east and south rims. There are also several small craterlets laying across the rim to the north-northwest. Where the rim is shared with Heraclitus, there is a slight inward bulge to the wall, producing a short section where the rim appears slightly flatter.
The interior floor is level and nearly featureless, and much of the floor appears to have been resurfaced. This surface does not possess the low albedo characteristic of the lunar mare, and it matches the hue of the surrounding terrain. Instead the floor is marked by faint traces of ray material from elsewhere.
[edit] 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 Cuvier crater.
| Cuvier | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 52.4° S | 12.0° E | 18 km |
| B | 51.7° S | 13.8° E | 17 km |
| C | 49.9° S | 11.7° E | 9 km |
| D | 51.3° S | 7.8° E | 17 km |
| E | 52.3° S | 12.9° E | 19 km |
| F | 52.2° S | 11.2° E | 16 km |
| G | 50.8° S | 7.5° E | 8 km |
| H | 48.6° S | 8.5° E | 10 km |
| J | 49.3° S | 8.8° E | 6 km |
| K | 52.2° S | 10.0° E | 8 km |
| L | 48.9° S | 9.8° E | 13 km |
| M | 53.3° S | 10.9° E | 6 km |
| N | 53.4° S | 12.1° E | 4 km |
| O | 51.6° S | 12.1° E | 10 km |
| P | 50.0° S | 12.7° E | 11 km |
| Q | 51.6° S | 10.6° E | 13 km |
| R | 51.0° S | 13.1° E | 7 km |
[edit] References
- See the reference table for the general listing of literature and web sites that were used in the compilation of this page.
- B. H. Foing, J.-L. Josset (2006-08-20). Close-up on Cuvier crater ridge (English). ESA - SMART-1. Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
