Peirescius (crater)
Encyclopedia
Peirescius is a lunar
impact crater
that is located in the southeastern part of the Moon
. It is close enough to the limb that it appears significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth
, even though it is nearly circular in shape. To the west-northwest of Peirescius is the crater Vega
, and less than one crater diameter to the south is Brisbane
. Farther to the east is the Mare Australe
.
The outer parts of this crater has become eroded by smaller impacts, and several small craterlets lie along the rim or the inner wall. These have taken their toll upon the original crater shape, although it is nowhere near as badly eroded as the nearby Vega. The interior floor is a relatively featureless expanse, with only a low rise in the center and a small craterlet toward the northern rim.
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...
that is located in the southeastern part 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 close enough to the limb that it appears significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, even though it is nearly circular in shape. To the west-northwest of Peirescius is the crater Vega
Vega (crater)
Vega is an eroded lunar crater that is located in the southeastern part of the Moon. It lies on the near side and so can be viewed from the Earth. Less than one crater diameter to the east-southeast is the slightly smaller Peirescius. About one and a half crater diameters to the west is the long...
, and less than one crater diameter to the south is Brisbane
Brisbane (crater)
Brisbane is a lunar crater that is located in the southeastern part of the Moon, to the south of the crater Peirescius. To the northwest lie the craters Vega and Reimarus, and farther to the east is the walled plain Lyot...
. Farther to the east is the 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...
.
The outer parts of this crater has become eroded by smaller impacts, and several small craterlets lie along the rim or the inner wall. These have taken their toll upon the original crater shape, although it is nowhere near as badly eroded as the nearby Vega. The interior floor is a relatively featureless expanse, with only a low rise in the center and a small craterlet toward the northern rim.
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 Peirescius.| Peirescius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 45.2° S | 71.3° E | 15 km |
| B | 45.6° S | 70.5° E | 18 km |
| C | 46.2° S | 71.5° E | 41 km |
| D | 48.1° S | 71.9° E | 43 km |
| G | 48.1° S | 67.7° E | 25 km |
| H | 45.3° S | 73.1° E | 8 km |
| J | 45.1° S | 66.8° E | 15 km |