Crookes (crater)
Encyclopedia
Crookes is a lunar
impact crater
that lies on the Moon
's far side as seen from the Earth
. It lies just to the southwest of the giant crater Korolev
. To the southwest of Crookes is McKellar
.
The rim of this crater has a relatively high albedo
compared to most such formations on the Moon, and it lies at the center of a ray system
. This ejecta forms a nearly continuous blanket out to at least one crater diameter before forming extended rays and a multitude of wispy markings across the surface. The ray system continues for several hundred kilometers, including extending across a substantial portion of the Korolev basin.
As would be expected for a relatively young crater, Crookes has a sharp-edged rim that has not been significantly eroded. The inner walls are relatively wide, and have slumped inward along the edges. Offset slightly to the east of the mid-point of the crater is a small central peak on the interior floor.
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...
impact 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 lies on 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...
's far side as seen from the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. It lies just to the southwest of the giant crater Korolev
Korolev (lunar crater)
Korolev is a large lunar crater of the walled plain type, named for Soviet rocket engineer Sergey Korolyov. It lies on the far side of the Moon, and the northern part of its floor crosses the lunar equator...
. To the southwest of Crookes is McKellar
McKellar (crater)
McKellar is a lunar impact crater on the Moon's far side, and it cannot be viewed directly from the Earth. It lies to the southwest of the crater Crookes, and the ray system from this impact covers the floor and sides of McKellar. To the south is the slightly smaller Bok.This crater is somewhat...
.
The rim of this crater has a relatively high albedo
Albedo
Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it...
compared to most such formations on the Moon, and it lies at the center of a ray system
Ray system
A ray system comprises radial streaks of fine ejecta thrown out during the formation of an impact crater, looking a bit like many thin spokes coming from the hub of a wheel. The rays can extend for lengths up to several times the diameter of their originating crater, and are often accompanied by...
. This ejecta forms a nearly continuous blanket out to at least one crater diameter before forming extended rays and a multitude of wispy markings across the surface. The ray system continues for several hundred kilometers, including extending across a substantial portion of the Korolev basin.
As would be expected for a relatively young crater, Crookes has a sharp-edged rim that has not been significantly eroded. The inner walls are relatively wide, and have slumped inward along the edges. Offset slightly to the east of the mid-point of the crater is a small central peak on the interior floor.
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 Crookes.| Crookes | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | 9.6° S | 162.8° W | 41 km |
| P | 11.7° S | 165.8° W | 21 km |
| X | 6.6° S | 166.2° W | 24 km |