Oppenheimer (crater)
Encyclopedia
Oppenheimer is a large lunar
crater
that lies on the Far side of the Moon
. It lies along the western outer ampart of the immense walled plain Apollo
. Nearby features of note include the dark-floored crater Maksutov
to the southwest, and Davisson
to the west-southwest. The latter intrudes into the eastern rim of Leibnitz
, a feature about 20% larger than Oppenheimer.
The outer rim of Oppenheimer is very nearly circular, but is broken in several locations by small craters. The most prominent of these is Oppenheimer H, lying against the inner wall and rim. In general the inner wall is unusually narrow along the western rim, but is much wider in the eastern half near where the rim approaches the Apollo basin. The interior floor is relatively level, particularly near the center. This floor has a lower albedo
in several patches near the western rim. One of these patches contains the flooded crater Oppenheimer U. Near the northern and southern inner walls is a system of linear rille
s in the surface. The far eastern half of the crater is marked by a ray system
running north–south.
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 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...
. It lies along the western outer ampart of the immense walled plain Apollo
Apollo (crater)
Apollo is an enormous impact crater located in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. This formation dwarfs the large crater Oppenheimer that is located next to the western rim. The crater Barringer lies across the northern wall...
. Nearby features of note include the dark-floored crater Maksutov
Maksutov (crater)
Maksutov is a crater on the far side of the Moon. It is located just to the south-southwest of the larger walled plain Oppenheimer. To the southwest lies the crater Nishina, and to the west-northwest is the merged crater pairing of Davisson and Leibnitz....
to the southwest, and Davisson
Davisson (crater)
Davisson is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon from the Earth. This crater lies across the eastern rim of the huge walled plain Leibnitz, and the rim and outer rampart intrudes into the interior floor of Leibnitz...
to the west-southwest. The latter intrudes into the eastern rim of Leibnitz
Leibnitz (crater)
Leibnitz is a huge lunar crater that is located in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. This formation is the same size as Clavius on the near side. It is located to the east-southeast of Mare Ingenii, and is joined to the northeast rim of Von Kármán. Attached to the eastern rim of...
, a feature about 20% larger than Oppenheimer.
The outer rim of Oppenheimer is very nearly circular, but is broken in several locations by small craters. The most prominent of these is Oppenheimer H, lying against the inner wall and rim. In general the inner wall is unusually narrow along the western rim, but is much wider in the eastern half near where the rim approaches the Apollo basin. The interior floor is relatively level, particularly near the center. This floor has 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...
in several patches near the western rim. One of these patches contains the flooded crater Oppenheimer U. Near the northern and southern inner walls is a system of linear rille
Rille
Rille is typically used to describe any of the long, narrow depressions in the lunar surface that resemble channels. Typically a rille can be up to several kilometers wide and hundreds of kilometers in length...
s in the surface. The far eastern half of the crater is marked by a 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...
running north–south.
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 Oppenheimer.| Oppenheimer | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | 34.7° S | 161.5° W | 35 km |
| H | 36.5° S | 163.1° W | 33 km |
| R | 37.3° S | 170.4° W | 26 km |
| U | 34.3° S | 167.9° W | 38 km |
| V | 32.0° S | 172.7° W | 32 km |
| W | 32.1° S | 169.0° W | 20 km |