Mason (crater)

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Crater Mason photographed by Eric S. Kounce of the West Texas Astronomers (www.wtastro.org) on October 28, 2006 from the McDonald Observatory's 36-Inch Telescope.

Mason is the remains of a lunar crater that lies in the northeastern part of the Moon. It is nearly attached to the eastern rim of the flooded Plana crater, and southeast of Bürg crater. Along the northern rim of Mason is the southern edge of the Lacus Mortis, a small lunar mare. To the south is the larger Lacus Somniorum.

This is a heavily eroded crater formation that is somewhat irregular in shape, being longed along the east-west direction. The rim is an uneven, disintegrated ring of ridges that have merged with the rough terrain to the south and east. There are clefts or valleys in the western rim that reach the eastern rim of Plana crater. The interior floor has been resurfaced by lava, and forms a nearly level basin within the rim. The small crater 'Mason A' lies in the northwest part of the floor.

[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 Mason crater.

[edit] References

• See the reference table for the general listing of literature and web sites that were used in the compilation of this page.