Harding (crater)
Encyclopedia
Harding is a small lunar
impact crater
that lies in the Sinus Roris
, a bay in the northwest part of the Oceanus Procellarum
. Because of its location near the northwest limb of the Moon
's near side, this crater is viewed at a relatively low angle from the Earth
resulting in foreshortening and limiting the amount of detail that can be seen.
This is an isolated formation, making it relatively easy to find. The nearest craters of note are Gerard
, farther to the west, and von Braun
to the west-southwest. To the northeast of Harding is the smaller crater Dechen
.
The rim of Harding has a sharp edge, and is not quite circular, with slight outward bulges to the north and west, and a somewhat angular corner in the southeast. The inner walls have slumped down, producing a ring of material around the interior floor. There is a slight ridge at 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...
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 in the Sinus Roris
Sinus Roris
Sinus Roris is an extension of the northern edge of Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon. The IAU-defined selenographic coordinates of this bay are 54.0° N, 56.6° W, and the diameter is 202 km....
, a bay in the northwest part of the Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Earth's Moon. Its name derives from the old superstition that its appearance during the second quarter heralded bad weather...
. Because of its location near the northwest limb 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 near side, this crater is viewed at a relatively low angle 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...
resulting in foreshortening and limiting the amount of detail that can be seen.
This is an isolated formation, making it relatively easy to find. The nearest craters of note are Gerard
Gerard (crater)
Gerard is a lunar crater that lies along the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum near the northwest limb of the Moon's near side. It is located to the north-northwest of the crater von Braun, and northeast of Bunsen...
, farther to the west, and von Braun
Von Braun (crater)
von Braun, named after the rocket pioneer Wernher von Braun, is a lunar crater located near the northwestern limb of the Moon. It lies along the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum, to the northeast of the crater Lavoisier. The northeastern rim of this crater is on the edge of the Sinus Roris,...
to the west-southwest. To the northeast of Harding is the smaller crater Dechen
Dechen (crater)
Dechen is a small, bowl-shaped crater that is located in the northwest part of the Oceanus Procellarum, near the northwest limb of the Moon. The rim of the crater projects slightly above the surrounding lunar mare, and the interior is symmetrical and nearly featureless...
.
The rim of Harding has a sharp edge, and is not quite circular, with slight outward bulges to the north and west, and a somewhat angular corner in the southeast. The inner walls have slumped down, producing a ring of material around the interior floor. There is a slight ridge at 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 Harding.| Harding | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 40.4° N | 75.5° W | 14 km |
| B | 41.9° N | 76.3° W | 17 km |
| C | 42.4° N | 74.7° W | 8 km |
| D | 42.9° N | 67.7° W | 7 km |
| H | 40.8° N | 64.4° W | 6 km |