Von Braun (crater)
Encyclopedia
von Braun, named after the rocket pioneer Wernher von Braun
, is a lunar
crater
located near the northwestern limb of the Moon
. It lies along the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum
, to the northeast of the crater Lavoisier
. The northeastern rim of this crater is on the edge of the Sinus Roris
, a bay feature in the northwestern part of the Oceanus Procellarum. Due to its proximity to the limb, this crater appears significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth
.
This crater is somewhat distorted from a true circular shape, and is slightly longer to the north and south. The outer rim has undergone some erosion due to subsequent impacts. Most notably, the crater Lavoisier E is attached to the western rim, and the outer rampart falls across part of the inner wall of von Braun. There are small craters along the rim to the southeast and the east, and craterlets along the northeast and southwestern rims. The inner wall has slumped along the southeast and northwestern sides to form a terrace-like shelf. The interior floor is relatively level and featureless, with a few small craterlets marking the surface.
This crater was previously identified as Lavoisier D before being assigned a name by the IAU
.
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
, is a lunar
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...
located near the northwestern limb 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 edge of the Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Earth's Moon. Its name derives from the old superstition that its appearance during the second quarter heralded bad weather...
, to the northeast of the crater Lavoisier
Lavoisier (crater)
Lavoisier is a lunar crater that is located near the northwestern limb of the Moon, at the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum. It is located to the southwest of the crater von Braun and southeast of Bunsen. Due south of Lavoisier is the disintegrated crater Ulugh Beigh.This is a worn crater...
. The northeastern rim of this crater is on the edge of the Sinus Roris
Sinus Roris
Sinus Roris is an extension of the northern edge of Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon. The IAU-defined selenographic coordinates of this bay are 54.0° N, 56.6° W, and the diameter is 202 km....
, a bay feature in the northwestern part of the Oceanus Procellarum. Due to its proximity to the limb, this crater 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...
.
This crater is somewhat distorted from a true circular shape, and is slightly longer to the north and south. The outer rim has undergone some erosion due to subsequent impacts. Most notably, the crater Lavoisier E is attached to the western rim, and the outer rampart falls across part of the inner wall of von Braun. There are small craters along the rim to the southeast and the east, and craterlets along the northeast and southwestern rims. The inner wall has slumped along the southeast and northwestern sides to form a terrace-like shelf. The interior floor is relatively level and featureless, with a few small craterlets marking the surface.
This crater was previously identified as Lavoisier D before being assigned a name by the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
.