Guthnick (crater)
Encyclopedia
Guthnick is a lunar
impact crater
that lies on the far side of the Moon
's surface from the Earth
. However, it is located in the part of the far side that is sometimes brought into sight of the Earth due to libration
, although it can only be seen at a low angle and during favorable lighting conditions. Guthnick is situated in the southern portion of the huge skirt of ejecta that surrounds the Mare Orientale
impact basin. Less than a crater diameter to the northwest is the slightly larger crater Rydberg
. To the south-southwest is the small Andersson
.
The outer rim of this crater is sharp-edged and free from significant erosion. There is a small outward bulge in the rim to the northeast, but otherwise the rim is nearly circular. The loose material on the inner surface has slumped down near the floor, forming a simple sloping edge around most of the sides. The small interior floor is located in the middle of this ring of talus
. The interior is free of impacts of note.
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 far side 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...
's surface 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...
. However, it is located in the part of the far side that is sometimes brought into sight of the Earth due to libration
Libration
In astronomy, libration is an oscillating motion of orbiting bodies relative to each other, notably including the motion of the Moon relative to Earth, or of Trojan asteroids relative to planets.-Lunar libration:...
, although it can only be seen at a low angle and during favorable lighting conditions. Guthnick is situated in the southern portion of the huge skirt of ejecta that surrounds the Mare Orientale
Mare Orientale
Mare Orientale is one of the most striking large scale lunar features, resembling a target ring bull's-eye. Located on the extreme western edge of the lunar nearside, this impact basin is difficult to see from an Earthbound perspective.Material from this basin was not sampled by the Apollo program...
impact basin. Less than a crater diameter to the northwest is the slightly larger crater Rydberg
Rydberg (crater)
Rydberg is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, just past the southwestern limb. It lies due south of the Mare Orientale, in the outer skirt of ejecta that surrounds the Orientale impact feature. Just to the southeast is the crater Guthnick.This is a little-eroded...
. To the south-southwest is the small Andersson
Andersson (crater)
Andersson is a lunar impact crater that lies in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. It is located just beyond the southwestern limb of the visible Moon in a location that can be viewed from the side during a favorable libration...
.
The outer rim of this crater is sharp-edged and free from significant erosion. There is a small outward bulge in the rim to the northeast, but otherwise the rim is nearly circular. The loose material on the inner surface has slumped down near the floor, forming a simple sloping edge around most of the sides. The small interior floor is located in the middle of this ring of talus
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
. The interior is free of impacts of note.