Poisson (crater)
Encyclopedia
Poisson is a lunar
crater
that is located in the southern highlands of the Moon
's near side. It lies to the east of the crater Aliacensis
and northwest of Gemma Frisius
. To the northwest of Poisson is Apianus
.
This heavily eroded crater shares a common floor with the satellite crater Poisson T to the west-southwest, and the two craters have more or less merged into a single formation with a narrower neck in between. The rim of Poisson is heavily eroded, and is overlain by several craters. Poisson U is intruding into the southern rim at the junction of Poisson and Poisson T. A low-walled formation is joined to the northern rim at the opposite side of the neck from Poisson U.
The interior floor of Poisson and Poisson T has been resurfaced by basalt
ic lava
, leaving a level surface within the inner walls. A pair of old, worn craters lies along the inner wall in the southeast part of the crater.
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 in the southern highlands 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...
's near side. It lies to the east of the crater Aliacensis
Aliacensis (crater)
Aliacensis is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. The crater Werner is located just to the north-northwest, and a narrow, rugged valley lies between the two comparably sized formations. To the southwest is Walther, and Apianus is to the northeast. The...
and northwest of Gemma Frisius
Gemma Frisius (crater)
Gemma Frisius is a lunar crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. It lies to the north of the walled plain Maurolycus, and southeast of the smaller crater Poisson. The crater Goodacre is attached to the northeast rim....
. To the northwest of Poisson is Apianus
Apianus (crater)
Apianus is a lunar impact crater that is located on the rugged south-central highlands of the Moon. It is located to the northeast of the crater Aliacensis, and to the northwest of Poisson...
.
This heavily eroded crater shares a common floor with the satellite crater Poisson T to the west-southwest, and the two craters have more or less merged into a single formation with a narrower neck in between. The rim of Poisson is heavily eroded, and is overlain by several craters. Poisson U is intruding into the southern rim at the junction of Poisson and Poisson T. A low-walled formation is joined to the northern rim at the opposite side of the neck from Poisson U.
The interior floor of Poisson and Poisson T has been resurfaced by basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic 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...
, leaving a level surface within the inner walls. A pair of old, worn craters lies along the inner wall in the southeast part of the crater.
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 Poisson.| Poisson | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 29.6° S | 9.1° E | 17 km |
| B | 30.8° S | 10.9° E | 11 km |
| C | 33.1° S | 8.6° E | 26 km |
| D | 31.4° S | 7.7° E | 12 km |
| E | 34.2° S | 8.6° E | 14 km |
| F | 33.7° S | 8.0° E | 14 km |
| G | 31.7° S | 7.4° E | 16 km |
| H | 33.0° S | 7.4° E | 19 km |
| J | 35.0° S | 8.3° E | 27 km |
| K | 32.7° S | 9.6° E | 13 km |
| L | 32.7° S | 8.2° E | 16 km |
| M | 33.9° S | 7.6° E | 7 km |
| N | 30.7° S | 8.4° E | 4 km |
| O | 35.0° S | 9.1° E | 4 km |
| P | 31.9° S | 8.9° E | 7 km |
| Q | 32.6° S | 10.2° E | 28 km |
| R | 30.0° S | 8.4° E | 5 km |
| S | 29.9° S | 11.4° E | 4 km |
| T | 31.1° S | 9.2° E | 25 km |
| U | 31.6° S | 10.3° E | 25 km |
| V | 32.0° S | 10.6° E | 16 km |
| W | 29.6° S | 11.9° E | 3 km |
| X | 29.0° S | 12.3° E | 5 km |
| Z | 29.6° S | 10.5° E | 5 km |