Coordinates | 60°54′S5°18′E / 60.9°S 5.3°E Coordinates: 60°54′S5°18′E / 60.9°S 5.3°E |
---|---|
Diameter | 71 km (44 mi) |
Depth | 3.7 km (2.3 mi) |
Colongitude | 355° at sunrise |
Eponym | Franz Xaver von Zach |
Zach is a lunar impact crater located in the heavily cratered southern sector of the Moon. To the north is the crater Lilius, while to the southeast is Pentland and to the south the larger Curtius. Due to foreshortening, the crater has an oblong appearance when viewed from Earth. The crater is 71 kilometres (44 mi) in diameter and 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) deep. It is from the Nectarian period, 3.92 to 3.85 billion years ago. [1]
The inner walls of the crater are prominently terraced, while parts of the outer wall are indented by lesser craters. There are adjacent craters attached to the northeast, southwest, and southern parts of the rim. There is also a pair of overlapping craters on the northwest rim. The bottom is relatively flat with a few craterlets and a double central peak offset to the north. [2]
The crater is named for Franz Xaver, Baron Von Zach, a 19th-century Hungarian astronomer. [1]
By convention, features are identified on lunar maps by placing the respective letter to the side of the crater midpoint closest to Zach: [3]
Zach | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
A | 62.5° S | 5.1° E | 36 km |
B | 58.6° S | 3.0° E | 32 km |
C | 58.5° S | 1.3° E | 13 km |
D | 62.1° S | 7.9° E | 32 km |
E | 59.4° S | 6.3° E | 24 km |
F | 60.0° S | 3.2° E | 28 km |
G | 58.4° S | 0.5° E | 6 km |
H | 59.0° S | 2.9° E | 7 km |
J | 57.4° S | 4.7° E | 11 km |
K | 57.4° S | 6.2° E | 9 km |
L | 58.1° S | 6.9° E | 16 km |
M | 57.1° S | 7.0° E | 5 km |
Fabricius is a lunar impact crater that is located within the northeast part of the walled plain Janssen. Attached to the north-northwest rim is the slightly larger crater Metius. Fabricius has multiple central peaks that rise to 0.8 km, with a rugged rise to the northwest running north–south. The rim is lumpy and somewhat distended, most noticeably to the southwest and south. It is 78 kilometers in diameter and 2,500 meters deep. It is from the Eratosthenian period, 3.2 to 1.1 billion years ago. It is named after David Fabricius, a 16th-century German astronomer.
Fracastorius is the lava-flooded remnant of an ancient lunar impact crater located at the southern edge of Mare Nectaris. To the northwest of this formation lies the crater Beaumont, while to the northeast is Rosse.
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 southwest rim is Vertregt. To the southeast is the smaller Bergstrand.
Clavius is one of the largest crater formations on the Moon and the second largest crater on the visible near side. It is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon, to the south of the prominent ray crater Tycho. It is named for the Jesuit priest Christopher Clavius.
Fernelius is a lunar impact crater located in the southern highlands just to the north of the walled plain Stöfler. It was named after 16th century French astronomer Jean Fernel. The crater Kaiser is located next to the northwest rim of Fernelius. To the north-northwest are the craters Nonius and Walther. Southeast of Fernelius is the crater cluster of Miller, Nasireddin, Huggins, and Orontius.
Cleomedes is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the northeast part of the visible Moon, to the north of Mare Crisium. It was named after Greek astronomer Cleomedes. It is surrounded by rough ground with multiple crater impacts. The irregular crater Tralles intrudes into the northwest rim. To the east is Delmotte. North of Cleomedes is a triple-crater formation with Burckhardt occupying the center.
Hommel is a lunar impact crater located in the southeast section of the Moon, in a region that is deeply impacted with a multitude of impact craters. The most notable craters nearby are Pitiscus to the north; Rosenberger due east; and Nearch to the southeast. The prominent crater Vlacq is nearly attached to the northeast rim. Also nearby is Asclepi to the west. Hommel is about 120 kilometers in diameter and its walls reach heights of 2,800 meters. It is from the Pre-Nectarian period, 4.55 to 3.92 billion years ago.
Capella is a lunar impact crater 49 km (30 mi) in diameter that lies to the north of the Mare Nectaris, in a rugged region with many small impact craters. It was named after Roman astronomer Martianus Capella. It intrudes slightly into the eastern rim of the crater Isidorus, a feature only slightly smaller in diameter.
Agrippa is a lunar impact crater that is located at the southeast edge of the Mare Vaporum. It is located to the north of the crater Godin, the irregular Tempel lies just to the east. To the north and northeast, the rille designated Rima Ariadaeus follows a course to the east-southeast, reaching the western edge of Mare Tranquillitatis. It is named after the 1st century Greek astronomer Agrippa. Its diameter is 44 km (27 mi).
Aliacensis is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. The crater Werner is located just to its north-northwest, and a narrow, rugged valley lies between the two comparably sized formations. To the southwest is Walther, and Apianus is to the northeast. Aliacensis is named after the 14th century French geographer and theologian Pierre d'Ailly. It is from the Nectarian period, which lasted from 3.92 to 3.85 billion years ago.
Almanon is a lunar impact crater that lies in the rugged highlands in the south-central region of the Moon. It was named after Abbasid Caliph and astronomer Al-Ma'mun. It is located to the south-southeast of Abulfeda, and to the north-northeast of the smaller crater Geber. The crater chain designated Catena Abulfeda forms a line between the south rim of Abulfeda and the north rim of Almanon, continuing for a length of about 210 kilometers to the Rupes Altai scarp.
Donati is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged south-central highlands of the Moon. It lies just to the northwest of the crater Faye, and the two outer rims are separated by a gap of less than 10 kilometers. To the north is the comparably sized Airy, and farther to the southeast is Playfair. Donati is 36 kilometers in diameter.
Beals is a lunar impact crater that is located near the eastern limb of the Moon, and lies across the southwestern rim of the crater Riemann. From the Earth the crater is viewed nearly from on edge, and is best seen during favorable librations. To the west is the large walled plain Gauss.
Brashear is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon, in the southern hemisphere in the vicinity of the south pole. The crater is named after the American astronomer John A. Brashear. It lies just to the south of the walled plain Antoniadi, within the larger crater's outer rampart of ejecta. To the northeast besides Antoniadi is the crater Numerov, and southeast lies the younger De Forest.
Curtius is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southern part of the Moon. From the Earth the crater appears foreshortened, making it more difficult to observe detail. Nevertheless, this is a large crater that can be readily found in even small telescopes. Curtius is located within one crater diameter of the still-larger Moretus to the southwest. To the northeast is the smaller Pentland. Curtius is 95 kilometers in diameter and 6.8 kilometers deep. It is from the Nectarian period, 3.92 to 3.85 billion years ago.
Capuanus is a lunar impact crater that lies along the southern edge of the Palus Epidemiarum. It was named after Italian astronomer F. Capuano di Manfredonia. The outer rim is eroded and indented by lesser crater impacts, with notches in the north, west, and southern parts of the rim. The interior floor has been resurfaced by basaltic lava, which is connected to the surrounding lunar mare by a narrow, crater-formed gap in the northern rim. Dotting the floor of the crater are a number of domes, which are believed to have formed through volcanic activity.
Chrétien is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon from the Earth. It lies due south of the Mare Ingenii, one of the few maria on the Moon's far side. The crater lies in the midpoint between the craters Garavito to the west-southwest and Oresme to the east-northeast, both of these being somewhat smaller than Chrétien.
Clark is a lunar impact crater that lies in the southern hemisphere of the Moon's far side. It is located midway between the larger walled plain Van der Waals to the south and the similar-sized crater Pizzetti to the north. It is named for American astronomer and telescope maker Alvan Clark and his son Alvan Graham Clark.
Wurzelbauer is the remnant of a lunar impact crater. It was named after German astronomer Johann Philipp von Wurzelbauer. It is located in the rugged terrain on the Moon's southern hemisphere. The slightly smaller crater Gauricus lies next to the eastern rim, while to the north-northeast is Pitatus.
Cassini is a lunar impact crater that is located in the Palus Nebularum, at the eastern end of Mare Imbrium. The crater was named after astronomers Giovanni Cassini and Jacques Cassini. To the northeast is the Promontorium Agassiz, the southern tip of the Montes Alpes mountain range. South by south-east of Cassini is the crater Theaetetus. To the northwest is the lone peak Mons Piton.