Gemma Frisius (crater)
Encyclopedia
Gemma Frisius is a lunar
crater
that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon
. It lies to the north of the walled plain Maurolycus
, and southeast of the smaller crater Poisson
. The crater Goodacre
is attached to the northeast rim.
The outer wall of this crater has been heavily damaged by impacts, particularly along the north and west sides. The smaller satellite craters D, G, and H are attached to this damaged face. As some observers have noted, this crater formation bears a certain resemblance to a paw print with these craters forming three of the toes and the crater Goodacre the fourth.
The southeastern rim of the crater is also worn, and the inner wall has slumped nearly a third of the distance across the interior floor. The remainder of the floor is relatively level and deep, with a central peak that is offset to the northwest of the mid-point.
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 in the rugged southern highlands 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...
. It lies to the north of the walled plain Maurolycus
Maurolycus (crater)
Maurolycus is one of the more prominent lunar craters in the southern highland region of the Moon that is covered in overlapping crater impacts. It is joined at the southeast rim by the smaller crater Barocius. Due west lie the overlapping pair of Stöfler and Faraday...
, and southeast of the smaller crater Poisson
Poisson (crater)
Poisson is a lunar crater that is located in the southern highlands of the Moon's near side. It lies to the east of the crater Aliacensis and northwest of Gemma Frisius...
. The crater Goodacre
Goodacre (crater)
Goodacre is a lunar impact crater. It is located in the rugged southern highlands on the Moon's near side, and is attached to the north-northeastern part of the exterior of Gemma Frisius, a heavily worn and much larger formation...
is attached to the northeast rim.
The outer wall of this crater has been heavily damaged by impacts, particularly along the north and west sides. The smaller satellite craters D, G, and H are attached to this damaged face. As some observers have noted, this crater formation bears a certain resemblance to a paw print with these craters forming three of the toes and the crater Goodacre the fourth.
The southeastern rim of the crater is also worn, and the inner wall has slumped nearly a third of the distance across the interior floor. The remainder of the floor is relatively level and deep, with a central peak that is offset to the northwest of the mid-point.
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 Gemma Frisius.| Gemma Frisius |
Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 35.8° S | 15.2° E | 68 km |
| B | 35.5° S | 17.1° E | 41 km |
| C | 35.6° S | 18.8° E | 35 km |
| D | 34.3° S | 10.9° E | 28 km |
| E | 37.2° S | 12.8° E | 19 km |
| F | 35.8° S | 10.3° E | 9 km |
| G | 33.2° S | 11.4° E | 37 km |
| H | 32.4° S | 12.2° E | 28 km |
| J | 35.1° S | 18.1° E | 12 km |
| K | 37.4° S | 11.0° E | 10 km |
| L | 34.8° S | 11.8° E | 6 km |
| M | 34.3° S | 12.5° E | 5 km |
| O | 32.5° S | 12.9° E | 6 km |
| P | 31.8° S | 12.8° E | 4 km |
| Q | 35.8° S | 14.8° E | 9 km |
| R | 37.1° S | 15.3° E | 5 km |
| S | 35.2° S | 15.1° E | 6 km |
| T | 34.9° S | 16.4° E | 8 km |
| U | 34.5° S | 16.8° E | 8 km |
| W | 36.9° S | 13.3° E | 15 km |
| X | 34.7° S | 15.8° E | 15 km |
| Y | 37.4° S | 13.5° E | 28 km |
| Z | 35.1° S | 9.6° E | 10 km |