![Al Biruni crater AS14-71-9889](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Al_Biruni_crater_AS14-71-9889.jpg)
Al-Biruni is an
impact crater
An impact crater is a circular depression in the surface of a solid astronomical object formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller object. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal collapse, impact craters ...
that lies on the
far side
''The Far Side'' is a single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Chronicle Features and then Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from December 31, 1979, to January 1, 1995 (when Larson retired as a cartoonist). Its surrealis ...
of the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
, just beyond the eastern limb. This portion of the surface is sometimes brought into sight due to
libration
In lunar astronomy, libration is the wagging or wavering of the Moon perceived by Earth-bound observers and caused by changes in their perspective. It permits an observer to see slightly different hemispheres of the surface at different tim ...
s of the Moon, but due to its location the crater is viewed from the side. Al-Biruni lies to the south of the crater
Joliot, and to the northeast of
Goddard Goddard may refer to:
People
* Goddard (given name)
* Goddard (surname)
Places in the United States
*Goddard, Kansas
*Goddard, Kentucky
*Goddard, Maryland
*Goddard College, a low-residency college with campuses in Vermont and Washington
*Goddar ...
. It is named after the great Persian scientist Al-Biruni.
The rim of Al-Biruni forms a somewhat irregular circle, with a slight outward bulge in the northeast wall, and a somewhat wider inner wall to the west. The interior floor is relatively flat, with a few tiny smaller craters to mark the surface. The most notable of these is Al-Biruni C near the northeast wall.
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 Al-Biruni.
See also
*
9936 Al-Biruni
9936 Al-Biruni, provisional designation , is a carbonaceous asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 24 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 8 August 1986, by Belgian and Bulgarian astronomers Eric Elst and Viole ...
, asteroid
References
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External links
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{{Craters on the Moon: A–B
Impact craters on the Moon
Al-Biruni