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Zwicky (crater)
Encyclopedia
Zwicky is a lunar
impact crater
that is located on the far side of the Moon
. It lies to the west of the crater Aitken
, and is attached to the western rim of Vertregt
. Attached to the northern end of Zwicky is Heaviside
. Zwicky is a considerably eroded formation with an irregular rim and interior. Portions of the southern rim still survive, but the remainder has been almost completely eradicated.
The satellite crater Zwicky N, located in the midst of the interior of Zwicky, has a relatively dark floor by comparison with the surrounding terrain. This smaller crater has a polygon
al outline with relatively smooth inner walls. The interior floor is a lower albedo
material that has a cracked surface. It is thought that this is caused by the cooling of molten material, or possibly tectonic movement. This is referred to informally as a "turtleback crater floor".
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 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 to the west of the crater Aitken
Aitken (crater)
Aitken is a large lunar impact crater that lies on the far side of the Moon, named for Robert Grant Aitken, an American astronomer specializing in binary stellar systems. It is located to the southeast of the crater Heaviside, and north of the unusual formation Van de Graaff. Attached to the...
, and is attached to the western rim of Vertregt
Vertregt (crater)
Vertregt is the ancient remnant of a large lunar impact crater. It is located on the far side of the Moon, to the north of the unusual walled plain Van de Graaff...
. Attached to the northern end of Zwicky is Heaviside
Heaviside (lunar crater)
Heaviside is a large lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It is attached to the eastern rim of the equally large walled plain Keeler, although Keeler is somewhat less eroded...
. Zwicky is a considerably eroded formation with an irregular rim and interior. Portions of the southern rim still survive, but the remainder has been almost completely eradicated.
Polygon
In geometry a polygon is a flat shape consisting of straight lines that are joined to form a closed chain orcircuit.A polygon is traditionally a plane figure that is bounded by a closed path, composed of a finite sequence of straight line segments...
al outline with relatively smooth inner walls. The interior floor is 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...
material that has a cracked surface. It is thought that this is caused by the cooling of molten material, or possibly tectonic movement. This is referred to informally as a "turtleback crater floor".
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 Zwicky.| Zwicky | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | 16.1° S | 167.4° E | 30 km |
| R | 18.3° S | 163.4° E | 28 km |
| S | 16.3° S | 162.6° E | 44 km |