Kearons (crater)
Encyclopedia
Kearons is a small lunar
crater
that is located on the far side of the Moon
, to the northwest of the Mare Orientale
impact basin, in the outer skirt of ejecta that surrounds the Montes Cordillera
range. It is a relatively isolated crater, possibly because any nearby features have been buried under the ejecta. Some distance to the south is the crater Lewis
, and to the north-northeast lies Grachev
.
The rim of this crater forms a rounded polygon
, with a sharp edge that has a small craterlet across the northwestern side. The inner wall and interior floor are relatively featureless. About a crater diameter to the southwest of Kearons is a smaller crater that has a modest ray system
, with rays extending to the north, south, and southwest for up to 100 km.
This crater is named after William M. Kearons (1878-August 13, 1948), an American
amateur astronomer who was notable for his photographs of the Sun
. He was a minister at the Saint Lukes Episcopal Church in Fall River, Massachusetts
.
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 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...
, to the northwest of 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, in the outer skirt of ejecta that surrounds the Montes Cordillera
Montes Cordillera
Montes Cordillera is a mountain range on the Moon. This feature forms the outer wall of peaks that surround the Mare Orientale impact basin, the inner ring being formed by the Montes Rook...
range. It is a relatively isolated crater, possibly because any nearby features have been buried under the ejecta. Some distance to the south is the crater Lewis
Lewis (crater)
Lewis is a crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies along the western edge of the Montes Cordillera mountains that surround the Mare Orientale impact basin. This crater has been heavily disrupted by the formation of the basin, and it is covered by ejecta from the impact leaving only an uneven...
, and to the north-northeast lies Grachev
Grachev (crater)
Grachev is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies to the northwest of the Mare Orientale impact basin, in the outer skirt of ejecta surrounding the Montes Cordillera mountain ring. Passing along the southwestern edge of Grachev is the Catena Michelson, a valley-like formation...
.
The rim of this crater forms a rounded polygon
Polygon
In geometry a polygon is a flat shape consisting of straight lines that are joined to form a closed chain orcircuit.A polygon is traditionally a plane figure that is bounded by a closed path, composed of a finite sequence of straight line segments...
, with a sharp edge that has a small craterlet across the northwestern side. The inner wall and interior floor are relatively featureless. About a crater diameter to the southwest of Kearons is a smaller crater that has a modest 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...
, with rays extending to the north, south, and southwest for up to 100 km.
This crater is named after William M. Kearons (1878-August 13, 1948), an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amateur astronomer who was notable for his photographs of the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. He was a minister at the Saint Lukes Episcopal Church in Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
.
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 Kearons.| Kearons | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| U | 10.5° S | 115.9° W | 13 km |