Byrd (lunar crater)
Encyclopedia
Byrd is an irregular lunar
crater
that is located near the north pole of the Moon
. The north rim of Byrd is nearly connected to the crater Peary
, a formation that is adjacent to the pole. The smaller crater Gioja
is attached to the remains of the southwest rim.
The rim of Byrd is worn and eroded, with sections distorted by intruding crater rims along the perimeter. As a result the crater interior is longer in the north-south direction than it is wide. There is a gap in the western rim, and the southern rim is now little more than a low ridge on the surface.
Some time after the original impact the crater interior was covered in lava
flows, leaving a nearly flat surface that is marked only by tiny craterlets. There is no central peak at the mid-point of the interior, and no ridges of significance.
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
that is located near the north pole of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
. The north rim of Byrd is nearly connected to the crater Peary
Peary (crater)
Peary is the closest large lunar impact crater to the lunar north pole. At this latitude the crater interior receives little sunlight, and parts of the southern floor remain permanently cloaked in shadow. From the Earth the crater appears on the northern lunar limb, and is seen from the side.The...
, a formation that is adjacent to the pole. The smaller crater Gioja
Gioja (crater)
Gioia is a lunar crater that is located in the vicinity of the north pole of the Moon. It is named after the Italian inventor Flavio Gioia. As it lies so close to the northern limb, it is view nearly from the edge making difficult to observe from the Earth. The crater is attached to the southern...
is attached to the remains of the southwest rim.
The rim of Byrd is worn and eroded, with sections distorted by intruding crater rims along the perimeter. As a result the crater interior is longer in the north-south direction than it is wide. There is a gap in the western rim, and the southern rim is now little more than a low ridge on the surface.
Some time after the original impact the crater interior was covered in lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
flows, leaving a nearly flat surface that is marked only by tiny craterlets. There is no central peak at the mid-point of the interior, and no ridges of significance.
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 Byrd.| Byrd | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 84.7° N | 26.8° E | 52 km |
| D | 85.4° N | 32.7° E | 24 km |