Coordinates | 18°22′S84°16′E / 18.37°S 84.27°E |
---|---|
Diameter | 78.76 km (48.94 mi) |
Depth | Unknown |
Colongitude | 277° at sunrise |
Eponym | Josiah W. Gibbs |
Gibbs is a lunar impact crater that lies near the eastern limb of the Moon. It is situated less than a crater diameter to the northeast of the larger crater Hecataeus. The crater chain Catena Humboldt passes to the south of Gibbs, following a line to the northeast. Due to its proximity to the limb, this crater appears foreshortened when viewed from the Earth, and visibility is subject to libration.
The outer rim of Gibbs is not quite circular, and an outward bulge to the north gives it an onion-like profile. The southeastern wall is slightly straightened and there is a low break in the rim at the southern and northern ends. In other respects, however, the rim is only slightly eroded. The interior floor is nearly level in the southwestern half, with irregular ridges to the northeast. There is a small craterlet to the northwest of the midpoint.
A recent small impact along the northeastern rim, Mirzakhani, has produced a small ray system that forms a skirt of higher albedo material across this part of the rim. Faint traces from these rays cover the interior floor of Gibbs.
The crater was named after Josiah W. Gibbs by the IAU in 1964. [1]
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Gibbs.
Gibbs | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
D | 13.1° S | 85.9° E | 13 km |
Humboldt is a large lunar impact crater that is located near the eastern limb of the Moon. Due to foreshortening this formation has an extremely oblong appearance. The actual shape of the crater is an irregular circle, with a significant indentation along the southeastern rim where the prominent crater Barnard intrudes. To the north-northwest of Humboldt is the large crater Hecataeus. Phillips is attached to the western rim. The rim of Humboldt is low, worn, and irregular in outline. The central peak forms a range on the crater floor. The floor surface contains a network of rilles forming a pattern of radial spokes and concentric arcs. There are also some dark patches located near the walls to the northeast, northwest, and southeast. There is a chain of craters leading from the northwest crater rim to a distance almost as long as the crater is wide. This formation is designated Catena Humboldt. Due to its location near the lunar limb, little detail was known about this crater until it was photographed by orbiting spacecraft.
Apollonius is a lunar impact crater located near the eastern limb of the Moon. It lies in the region of uplands to the west of Mare Undarum and northeast of the Sinus Successus on the Mare Fecunditatis. It was named after Greek mathematician Apollonius of Perga. It is southwest of the crater Firmicus, and north of Condon.
Fabry is a large lunar impact crater of the form termed a walled plain. It is located on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the northeastern limb. Parts of this area are sometimes brought into view by the effects of libration, but the terrain is seen from the edge and so not much in the way of detail can be observed.
Banachiewicz is a largely degraded lunar impact crater that is located near the eastern limb of the Moon.
Firmicus is a lunar impact crater that lies in the eastern part of the Moon's near side, so that from Earth it appears oval in shape due to foreshortening. It is, however, very nearly circular. The crater is located to the west of the Mare Undarum, and northeast of the similar-sized crater Apollonius. To the north of Firmicus are the craters van Albada and Auzout. Attached to its northwest rim is the Lacus Perseverantiae, a miniature lunar mare.
Hausen is a large lunar impact crater that lies along the south-southwestern limb of the Moon. It was named after German astronomer Christian A. Hausen by the IAU in 1961.
Drygalski is a large lunar impact crater that lies along the southern limb of the Moon. It partly overlies the crater Ashbrook to the west on the far side of the Moon. Just to the north of Drygalski is the smaller Boltzmann. The location of this crater restricts its observation from the Earth, and even under conditions of favorable libration it is viewed from the edge. It is only illuminated by the Sun at an oblique angle, and it lies close to the south polar craters that are permanently shielded from sunlight.
Hecataeus is a large lunar impact crater that lies near the eastern limb of the Moon. It is attached to the northern rim of the walled plain Humboldt. To the northeast is the smaller crater Gibbs. East of Hecataeus is a chain of small craters forming a line radial to Humboldt; these are designated the Catena Humboldt, named after the walled plain.
Pasteur is a large lunar impact crater, approximately 233 kilometers in diameter, belonging to the category termed a walled plain. It was named after French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur. It lies on the far side of the Moon as seen from the Earth, just beyond the eastern limb. The vicinity of this crater is occasionally brought into view from Earth due to librations, although not much detail can be seen.
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Chauvenet is a lunar impact crater that is located to the northeast of the prominent crater Tsiolkovskiy on the far side of the Moon. Less than one crater diameter to the northwest of Chauvenet is the crater Ten Bruggencate.
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Sklodowska (Skłodowska) is a large lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It lies just past the southeastern limb, and can sometimes be viewed from Earth under favorable conditions of libration and illumination. The crater is located to the northeast of the older walled plain Curie, and to the southwest of Pasteur, another walled plain.
Mandelʹshtam is the remains of a large crater on the Moon's far side named after Leonid Mandelstam. Nearly attached to the northeast outer rim is the crater Papaleksi. To the south lies the crater Vening Meinesz.
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Lobachevskiy is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, beyond the eastern limb. It was named after Russian mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky in 1961. This crater lies to the southeast of the larger crater Fleming. Less than a crater diameter to the east-northeast lies Guyot.
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