Lunar Orbiter 4 image with north at top | |
Coordinates | 76°42′S24°54′E / 76.7°S 24.9°E Coordinates: 76°42′S24°54′E / 76.7°S 24.9°E |
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Diameter | 85 km |
Depth | 3.4 km |
Colongitude | 340° at sunrise |
Eponym | Georg Schomberger |
Schomberger is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies in the southern part of the Moon, in the area near the limb. It is located to the southwest of the crater Boguslawsky, and southeast of Simpelius. The relatively young satellite crater Schomberger A is nearly attached to the southern rim, and the much-aged Schomberger C lies just off the western rim.
Lunar craters are impact craters on Earth's Moon. The Moon's surface has many craters, almost all of which were formed by impacts.
An impact crater is an approximately circular depression in the surface of a planet, moon, or other solid body in the Solar System or elsewhere, formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller body. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal collapse, impact craters typically have raised rims and floors that are lower in elevation than the surrounding terrain. Impact craters range from small, simple, bowl-shaped depressions to large, complex, multi-ringed impact basins. Meteor Crater is a well-known example of a small impact crater on Earth.
Earth's Moon is an astronomical body that orbits the planet and acts as its only permanent natural satellite. It is the fifth-largest satellite in the Solar System, and the largest among planetary satellites relative to the size of the planet that it orbits. The Moon is, after Jupiter's satellite Io, the second-densest satellite in the Solar System among those whose densities are known.
This is a relatively well-defined crater with sharp features that have not been significantly worn down by minor impacts. The rim is roughly circular and sharp-edged, with a complex inner wall marked by slumping and many ridges and terraces. The inner floor is relatively flat and level, although somewhat rougher in the western half. At the midpoint of the interior is a central peak complex formed by several ridges.
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Schomberger.
Schomberger | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
A | 78.8° S | 24.4° E | 31 km |
C | 77.2° S | 15.7° E | 43 km |
D | 73.5° S | 24.6° E | 24 km |
F | 80.1° S | 20.8° E | 11 km |
G | 77.1° S | 7.7° E | 17 km |
H | 77.4° S | 4.0° E | 17 km |
J | 78.8° S | 19.6° E | 9 km |
K | 79.7° S | 14.3° E | 9 km |
L | 80.6° S | 17.5° E | 17 km |
X | 75.2° S | 34.9° E | 8 km |
Y | 74.6° S | 29.0° E | 17 km |
Z | 73.5° S | 27.3° E | 5 km |
Due to its ray system, Schomberger A is mapped as part of the Copernican System. [1]
A ray system comprises radial streaks of fine ejecta thrown out during the formation of an impact crater, looking somewhat like many thin spokes coming from the hub of a wheel. The rays may extend for lengths up to several times the diameter of their originating crater, and are often accompanied by small secondary craters formed by larger chunks of ejecta. Ray systems have been identified on the Moon, Earth, Mercury, and some moons of the outer planets. Originally it was thought that they existed only on planets or moons lacking an atmosphere, but more recently they have been identified on Mars in infrared images taken from orbit by 2001 Mars Odyssey's thermal imager.
The Copernican Period in the lunar geologic timescale runs from approximately 1.1 billion years ago to the present day. The base of the Copernican period is defined by impact craters that possess bright optically immature ray systems. The crater Copernicus is a prominent example of rayed crater, but it does not mark the base of the Copernican period.
Anaximenes is a low-rimmed lunar impact crater near the north-northwest limb of the Moon. It lies to the west of the crater Philolaus, and northeast of Carpenter. To the northwest is Poncelet, close to the visible edge of the Moon.
Faraday is a lunar impact crater in the southern highlands of the Moon. It was named after British chemist and physicist Michael Faraday. It lies across the southeast rim of the larger crater Stöfler, and the northwest rim of Faraday forms a wide rampart across the otherwise flat floor of Stöfler. To the east of Faraday is Maurolycus.
Aristillus is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies in the eastern Mare Imbrium. It was named after Greek astronomer Aristyllus. Directly to the south is the smaller crater Autolycus, while to the southwest is the large Archimedes. To the northeast are the craters Theaetetus and Cassini.
Cardanus is a lunar impact crater that is located in the western part of the Moon, in the western part of the Oceanus Procellarum. Due to its location the crater appears very oval because of foreshortening, and it is viewed almost from the side.
Cavalerius is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies on the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum lunar mare on the west part of the visible Moon. It nearly joins the northern rim of Hevelius to the south.
Glushko is a young impact crater on the Moon attached to the western rim of the crater Olbers.
Palitzsch is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southeast part of the Moon, near the southeast rim of the crater Petavius. Just to the southwest of Palitzsch is Hase, while to the east-southeast is Legendre.
Boyle is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southern hemisphere on the rugged far side of the Moon. It is adjacent to the larger crater Hess to the southeast, and lies about midway between the craters Alder to the north-northeast and Abbe to the south-southwest.
Carpenter is a lunar impact crater in the northern part of the Moon, relatively close to the limb. At this position the crater is foreshortened and appears oval in shape. It is, however, very nearly circular in outline. The outer rampart to the south is adjoined to the old crater Anaximander, and the satellite formation Anaximander B lies along the western rim. To the northeast is Anaximenes.
Casatus is a lunar impact crater that is located near the southern limb of the Moon. The north-northeast rim of the crater overlies a portion of the slightly larger crater Klaproth. Along the western rim, Casatus A intrudes somewhat into the interior, producing an inward-bowing rim. To the southeast of Casatus is Newton.
De Forest is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It is located in the far southern hemisphere, to the west of the large walled plain Zeeman and due south of the crater Numerov. Because of its proximity to the southern pole, this crater receives sunlight at an oblique angle when it is on the illuminated half of the Moon.
Chaffee is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. It lies within the huge walled plain Apollo, and is one of several craters in that formation named for astronauts and people associated with the Apollo program. This basin is a double-ringed formation, and the crater Chaffee is situated across the southwest part of the inner ring. The ridge from this ring extends northward from the northern rim of Chaffee.
Chebyshev is a large lunar impact crater that lies in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. The somewhat smaller crater Langmuir is intruding into the east-southeastern rim of Chebyshev, forming a chain of large craters with Brouwer on Langmuir's eastern rim.
Crookes is a lunar impact crater that lies on the Moon's far side as seen from the Earth. It lies just to the southwest of the giant crater Korolev. To the southwest of Crookes is McKellar.
Simpelius is an impact crater that lies in the southern part of the Moon. It lies to the north-northwest of the somewhat larger crater Schomberger, and east-southeast of the prominent Moretus.
Drebbel is a small lunar impact crater named after Cornelius Drebbel that is located to the northeast of the large walled plain Schickard, in the southwestern part of the Moon. Further to the northeast is the Lacus Excellentiae and the small crater Clausius.
Delaunay is a lunar impact crater. It was named after French astronomer Charles-Eugène Delaunay. The craters La Caille to the southwest and Faye to the northeast border on the outer rim of Delaunay. Further to the northwest is the prominent Arzachel.
Hayn is a lunar impact crater that lies next to the northeast limb of the Moon. This location restricts the amount of detail that can be viewed from the Earth, as the western inner side is permanently hidden from sight. Observation of this crater can also be affected by libration, which can completely hide this crater from sight.
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.
Papaleksi is an impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies along the northeastern outskirts of the large crater Mandel'shtam. About 20 km to the north-northeast of Papaleksi is the similar crater Spencer Jones.
Ewen Adair Whitaker was a British-born astronomer who specialized in lunar studies. During World War II he was engaged in quality control for the lead sheathing of hollow cables strung under the English Channel as part of the "Pipe Line Under The Ocean" Project (PLUTO) to supply gasoline to Allied military vehicles in France. After the war, he obtained a position at the Royal Greenwich Observatory working on the UV spectra of stars, but became interested in lunar studies. As a sideline, Whitaker drew and published the first accurate chart of the South Polar area of the Moon in 1954, and served as director of the Lunar Section of the British Astronomical Association.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility.