Lorentz (crater)

Last updated
Lorentz
Lorentz LO-IV-188-med.jpg
Coordinates 32°36′N95°18′W / 32.6°N 95.3°W / 32.6; -95.3 Coordinates: 32°36′N95°18′W / 32.6°N 95.3°W / 32.6; -95.3
Diameter 312 km
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 103° at sunrise
Eponym Hendrik Lorentz
Oblique view facing south Lorentz crater 4190 med.jpg
Oblique view facing south

Lorentz is a huge lunar impact crater that lies just beyond the northwest limb of the Moon, in a region that is brought into sight of the Earth during favorable librations. This formation is nearly as large as the Mare Nectaris on the near side of the Moon, although it has not been submerged by lava as have the lunar mare. Sections of the crater floor are, however, relatively level, particularly an arc along the western rim. But this last region is still marked by a number of tiny craterlets. The remainder of the interior is rough and irregular, and marked with a multitude of impacts.

Lorentz contains a prominent crater pairing, with Nernst located just to the north of Lorentz's midpoint, and Röntgen attached to the southeastern rim of Nernst. Lying across the southern rim of Lorentz is Laue, and Avicenna lies across the northwestern rim. Near the more indeterminate eastern rim of Lorentz is Aston.

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Lorentz.

LorentzLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
P31.8° N98.5° W38 km
R33.4° N99.2° W33 km
T34.6° N100.3° W20 km
U35.0° N100.0° W22 km

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Casatus (crater) Lunar impact crater

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Eimmart (crater) Lunar impact crater

Eimmart is a lunar impact crater that is located near the east-northeastern limb of the Moon, to the northeast of the Mare Crisium. The northern and eastern outer rim of this crater borders on the narrow Mare Anguis. To the northwest of Eimmart are the smaller crater Delmotte and the prominent Cleomedes.

Eichstadt (crater) Lunar impact crater

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Fourier (crater) Lunar impact crater

Fourier is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southwestern part of the Moon's near side, just to the southeast of the crater Vieta. To the northeast is the Mare Humorum. The rim of this crater is roughly circular, but appears oval when viewed from the Earth due to foreshortening.

Donner (crater) Lunar impact crater

Donner is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It is located just to the northeast of the Mare Australe, behind the southeastern limb of the Moon. During favorable librations this part of the lunar surface can be brought into view of the Earth, but the site is viewed from the edge and so not much detail can be seen.

Fridman (crater)

Fridman is the remains of a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies due south of the huge walled plain Hertzsprung, and is attached to the northeastern rim of the crater Ioffe.

Gerasimovich (crater) Lunar impact crater

Gerasimovich is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies beyond the western limb, to the west-northwest of the immense Mare Orientale impact basin. The outer blanket of ejecta from this impact reaches nearly to the rim of Gerasimovich. Nearby craters of note include Houzeau to the north and the smaller Ellerman to the southeast.

Kovalskiy (crater)

Koval'skiy is a crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies about one crater diameter to the southeast of the prominent Sklodowska, and to the north-northwest of Bowditch and Lacus Solitudinis, a small lunar mare.

Laue (crater)

Laue is a lunar impact crater that lies across the south-southwestern rim and interior floor of the huge walled plain Lorentz. This feature is located on the Moon's far side, just beyond the west-northwestern limb. Under conditions of favorable libration and illumination from the Sun, this area can be seen at a very oblique angle from the Earth.

Nernst (crater) Lunar crater

Nernst is a lunar impact crater that lies on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the northwestern limb. It lies across the northern part of the larger walled plain Lorentz, and intrudes slightly into the northwestern rim of the crater Röntgen.

Parkhurst (crater)

Parkhurst is a heavily degraded lunar impact crater to the northeast of the Mare Australe on the far side of the Moon. To the north-northeast of Parkhurst is the crater Scaliger and to the southwest lies the dark-floored Gernsback. The small lunar mare named Lacus Solitudinis lies due north of Parkhurst.

Röntgen (crater)

Röntgen is a relatively large lunar impact crater that lies along the northwestern limb of the Moon. Its northwestern outer rim is partly overlain by the crater Nernst. Both Nernst and Röntgen overlie the eastern rim of the much larger walled plain Lorentz. The smaller crater Aston is separated from the eastern edge of Röntgen by only a few kilometers of terrain. To the south-southeast is Voskresenskiy.

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