Harlan (crater)
Encyclopedia
Harlan is a lunar
crater
near the southeastern limb of the Moon
. It is located just to the northeast of the crater Marinus
. To the northeast is the flooded walled plain Abel
, and to the southeast is Mare Australe
.
This crater has a worn outer rim, with a crater attached to the northeastern rim and an irregular southern edge. The inner wall has slumped to form a shelf along the northwestern side. The interior floor has been resurfaced by basalt
ic lava
, producing a level, nearly featureless surface with a lower albedo
than its surroundings.
Harlan was previously designated Marinus D before being assigned its current name by the IAU
.
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...
near the southeastern 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...
. It is located just to the northeast of the crater Marinus
Marinus (crater)
Marinus is a lunar crater that is located near the southeastern limb of the Moon. At this location it is viewed at an oblique angle from the Earth, limiting the amount of detail that can be observed. It lies due north of the slightly larger and dark-floored crater Oken...
. To the northeast is the flooded walled plain Abel
Abel (crater)
Abel is an ancient lunar crater that lies near the southeast limb of the Moon's near side. It is located to the south of the crater Barnard, at the northwest edge of the Mare Australe....
, and to the southeast is Mare Australe
Mare Australe
Mare Australe is a lunar mare located in the southeastern hemisphere of the Moon. It is 603 kilometers in diameter, overlapping the near and far sides of the Moon. Smooth, dark volcanic basalt lines the bottom of the mare...
.
This crater has a worn outer rim, with a crater attached to the northeastern rim and an irregular southern edge. The inner wall has slumped to form a shelf along the northwestern side. The interior floor has been resurfaced by basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic 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...
, producing a level, nearly featureless surface with a lower 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...
than its surroundings.
Harlan was previously designated Marinus D before being assigned its current name by the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
.