Gioia is a
lunar
Lunar most commonly means "of or relating to the Moon".
Lunar may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lunar'' (series), a series of video games
* "Lunar" (song), by David Guetta
* "Lunar", a song by Priestess from the 2009 album ''Prior t ...
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 is located in the vicinity of the north pole 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 ...
. It is named after the Italian inventor
Flavio Gioia
Flavio Gioia or Gioja, also known as Ioannes Gira Amalphensis (; 1300 – ?) is reputed to have been an Italian mariner, inventor, and supposedly a marine pilot. He has traditionally been credited with developing the sailor's compass, but this h ...
. As it lies so close to the northern limb, it is viewed nearly from the edge making difficult to observe from the
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
. The crater is attached to the southern rim of the larger
Byrd Byrd commonly refers to:
* William Byrd (c. 1540 – 1623), an English composer of the Renaissance
* Richard E. Byrd (1888–1957), an American naval officer and explorer
Byrd or Byrds may also refer to:
Other people
* Byrd (surname), includin ...
, a formation with low walls. To the south-southeast is the crater
Main
Main may refer to:
Geography
* Main River (disambiguation)
**Most commonly the Main (river) in Germany
* Main, Iran, a village in Fars Province
*"Spanish Main", the Caribbean coasts of mainland Spanish territories in the 16th and 17th centuries
...
.
The rim of Gioia remains nearly circular, but is worn and somewhat eroded. The exterior
rampart
Rampart may refer to:
* Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement
Rampart may also refer to:
* "O'er the Ramparts We Watched" is a key line from "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the ...
s have been modified by subsequent impacts, particularly along the western rim. The rim achieves its high point to the northwest, where it has been reinforced by the rim of the crater Byrd and other since-vanished formations. The interior floor is nearly flat, with a low cleft or ridge running from the midpoint to the north-northeast rim. Several tiny craterlets mark the inner floor, most notably a pair near the west-northwestern inner wall.
External links
LAC-1 area- Map of northern lunar pole
References
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Impact craters on the Moon