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Lambert (lunar crater)
Encyclopedia
Lambert is a lunar
impact crater
on the southern half of the Mare Imbrium
basin. It lies to the east and somewhat south of the slightly larger crater Timocharis
. To the south is the smaller Pytheas
, and some distance to the west-southwest is Euler
.
The crater is relatively easy to locate due to its isolated position on the mare
. It has an outer rampart, terraced inner walls, and a rough interior that has a comparable albedo
to its surroundings. Instead of a central peak, a small craterler lies at the mid-point of the interior.
Just to the south of Lambert's ramparts is the lava
-covered rim of a crater that is almost completely covered by the mare
. The diameter of this ghost crater
is slightly larger than Lambert, but it is difficult to spot except when the Sun is at a very low angle. The feature is designated Lambert R.
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...
on the southern half of the Mare Imbrium
Mare Imbrium
Mare Imbrium, Latin for "Sea of Showers" or "Sea of Rains", is a vast lunar mare filling a basin on Earth's Moon and one of the larger craters in the Solar System. Mare Imbrium was created when lava flooded the giant crater formed when a very large object hit the Moon long ago...
basin. It lies to the east and somewhat south of the slightly larger crater Timocharis
Timocharis (crater)
Timocharis is a prominent lunar impact crater located on the Mare Imbrium. The closest crater of comparable dimensions is Lambert to the west. The smaller craters Feuillée and Beer lie to the east of Timocharis....
. To the south is the smaller Pytheas
Pytheas (crater)
Pytheas is a small lunar impact crater located on the southern part of the Mare Imbrium, to the south of the crater Lambert.It has a sharply defined rim, a hummocky outer rampart, and an irregular interior due to slumping or fall-back. There is a small crater along the northern outer rampart, and a...
, and some distance to the west-southwest is Euler
Euler (crater)
Euler is a lunar impact crater located in the southern half of the Mare Imbrium. The most notable nearby feature is Mons Vinogradov to the west-southwest. There is a cluster of low ridges to the southwest, and this formation includes the small crater Natasha and the tiny Jehan...
.
The crater is relatively easy to locate due to its isolated position on the mare
Lunar mare
The lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
. It has an outer rampart, terraced inner walls, and a rough interior that has a comparable 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...
to its surroundings. Instead of a central peak, a small craterler lies at the mid-point of the interior.
Just to the south of Lambert's ramparts is the 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...
-covered rim of a crater that is almost completely covered by the mare
Lunar mare
The lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
. The diameter of this ghost crater
Palimpsest
A palimpsest is a manuscript page from a scroll or book from which the text has been scraped off and which can be used again. The word "palimpsest" comes through Latin palimpsēstus from Ancient Greek παλίμψηστος originally compounded from πάλιν and ψάω literally meaning “scraped...
is slightly larger than Lambert, but it is difficult to spot except when the Sun is at a very low angle. The feature is designated Lambert R.
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 Lambert.| Lambert | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 26.4° N | 21.5° W | 4 km |
| B | 24.3° N | 20.1° W | 4 km |
| R | 23.9° N | 20.6° W | 55 km |
| T | 28.5° N | 20.3° W | 3 km |
| W | 24.5° N | 22.6° W | 2 km |
External links
- LTO-40A3 Lambert — 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 and vicinity.