Tempel (crater)
Encyclopedia
Tempel is the remnant of a lunar
crater
whose outer rim has been eroded, indented, and reshaped by subsequent impacts and lava
flows. It is attached to the eastern rim of the crater Agrippa
, in an area that has been resurfaced by old lava flows. To the southwest is Godin
, and to the east lies the small, bowl-shaped Whewell
.
There is a gap in the northwestern rim of Tempel that forms a protrusion that follows the rim of Agrippa. Smaller gaps exist in the southern rim, and the relatively flat interior surface of the crater is joined by these valley clefts to the lava-covered exterior. From here the flow can be followed eastwards until it joins the Mare Tranquillitatis
. Little of the original rim remains intact, and the formation is now a somewhat circular range of rounded, irregular ridges.
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...
whose outer rim has been eroded, indented, and reshaped by subsequent impacts and 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...
flows. It is attached to the eastern rim of the crater Agrippa
Agrippa (crater)
Agrippa is a lunar impact crater that is located at the southeast edge of the Mare Vaporum. It is located to the north of the crater Godin, and the irregular Tempel lies just to the east. To the north and northeast, the rille designated Rima Ariadaeus follows a course to the east-southeast,...
, in an area that has been resurfaced by old lava flows. To the southwest is Godin
Godin (crater)
Godin is a lunar impact crater located just to the south of the crater Agrippa, on a rough upland region to the east of Sinus Medii. The ruined crater Tempel lies to the northeast, on the east side of Agrippa. Due south is the flooded remains of Lade....
, and to the east lies the small, bowl-shaped Whewell
Whewell (crater)
Whewell is a lunar impact crater that lies on a stretch of lava-resurfaced terrain to the west of Mare Tranquillitatis. It is located to the east of the disintegrated crater Tempel and north-northwest of D'Arrest...
.
There is a gap in the northwestern rim of Tempel that forms a protrusion that follows the rim of Agrippa. Smaller gaps exist in the southern rim, and the relatively flat interior surface of the crater is joined by these valley clefts to the lava-covered exterior. From here the flow can be followed eastwards until it joins the Mare Tranquillitatis
Mare Tranquillitatis
Mare Tranquillitatis is a lunar mare that sits within the Tranquillitatis basin on the Moon. The mare material within the basin consists of basalt formed in the intermediate to young age group of the Upper Imbrian epoch. The surrounding mountains are thought to be of the Lower Imbrian epoch, but...
. Little of the original rim remains intact, and the formation is now a somewhat circular range of rounded, irregular ridges.