Keeler (lunar crater)
Encyclopedia
Keeler is a large lunar
crater
that lies on the Moon
's far side. It is connected along the eastern edge to Heaviside
, a walled plain of similar dimensions. Keeler, however, is the younger of the two formations, with more clearly delineated features. To the northeast of Keeler is the smaller crater Stratton
, and to the northwest lies Ventris
.
The outer rim of Keeler is roughly circular, with a straight segment where it is joined to Heaviside. The northern portion of the rim is more irregular, with an outward protuberance to the north-northwest. Portions of the inner wall have a terrace structure, especially along the southern half. Within the crater interior, Planté
lies on the eastern floor, adjacent to the inner wall. There is an interior ridge that runs from about the mid-point toward the west-southwest. The floor is generally level, with some areas of irregularity to the south. A few small and tiny craterlets mark the interior plain.
Measurements with the electron reflectometer instrument on board the Lunar Prospector
showed that this crater is one of a number of impact sites that show demagnetization. The low magnetic reading lies at the center of this crater, and the reduced field extends outward to about one and a half crater diameters. Scientists believe that shock demagnitization is the cause.
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 lies on 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 far side. It is connected along the eastern edge to Heaviside
Heaviside (lunar crater)
Heaviside is a large lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It is attached to the eastern rim of the equally large walled plain Keeler, although Keeler is somewhat less eroded...
, a walled plain of similar dimensions. Keeler, however, is the younger of the two formations, with more clearly delineated features. To the northeast of Keeler is the smaller crater Stratton
Stratton (crater)
Stratton is a lunar impact crater on the Moon's far side. It is located to the north of the large craters Keeler and Heaviside, and less than one crater diameter to the south of Dewar....
, and to the northwest lies Ventris
Ventris (crater)
Ventris is a lunar crater on the far side of the Moon. It is located between the crater Schliemann just to the northwest and the large Keeler which lies slightly farther to the southeast. One crater diameter to the northeast is Vening Meinesz....
.
The outer rim of Keeler is roughly circular, with a straight segment where it is joined to Heaviside. The northern portion of the rim is more irregular, with an outward protuberance to the north-northwest. Portions of the inner wall have a terrace structure, especially along the southern half. Within the crater interior, Planté
Planté (crater)
Planté is a lunar crater that is situated near the eastern inner wall of the much larger crater Keeler. Just to the east, attached to the exterior of Keeler, is the large crater Heaviside...
lies on the eastern floor, adjacent to the inner wall. There is an interior ridge that runs from about the mid-point toward the west-southwest. The floor is generally level, with some areas of irregularity to the south. A few small and tiny craterlets mark the interior plain.
Measurements with the electron reflectometer instrument on board the Lunar Prospector
Lunar Prospector
The Lunar Prospector mission was the third selected by NASA for full development and construction as part of the Discovery Program. At a cost of $62.8 million, the 19-month mission was designed for a low polar orbit investigation of the Moon, including mapping of surface composition and possible...
showed that this crater is one of a number of impact sites that show demagnetization. The low magnetic reading lies at the center of this crater, and the reduced field extends outward to about one and a half crater diameters. Scientists believe that shock demagnitization is the cause.
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 Keeler.| Keeler | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | 13.3° S | 163.2° E | 71 km |
| S | 11.4° S | 158.0° E | 30 km |
| U | 9.1° S | 156.9° E | 29 km |
| V | 8.9° S | 158.3° E | 53 km |
External links
- LTO-85C1 Plante — L&PI topographic mapTopographic mapA topographic map is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief, usually using contour lines in modern mapping, but historically using a variety of methods. Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and man-made features...
of crater interior.