Gruithuisen 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 lies on the section of
lunar mare
The lunar maria (; singular: mare ) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient asteroid impacts on the far side on the Moon that triggered volcanic activity on the opposite (near) side. They were dubbed , Latin for 'seas' ...
that joins
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum ( la, Ōceanus procellārum, lit=Ocean of Storms) is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Moon. It is the only one of the lunar maria to be called an "Oceanus" (ocean), due to its size: Oceanus Proc ...
in the west to
Mare Imbrium
Mare Imbrium (Latin ''imbrium'', the "Sea of Showers" or "Sea of Rains", "Sea of Tears") is a vast lava plain within the Imbrium Basin on the Moon and is one of the larger craters in the Solar System. The Imbrium Basin formed from the colli ...
in the east. Southeast of Gruithuisen is the small crater
Delisle. To the south is
Dorsum Bucher, a
wrinkle ridge
A wrinkle ridge is a type of feature commonly found on lunar maria, or basalt plains. These features are low, sinuous ridges formed on the mare surface that can extend for up to several hundred kilometers. Wrinkle ridges are tectonic features cr ...
running in a north–south direction for about 90 kilometers.
The rim of Gruithuisen is relatively smooth and circular, projecting only slightly above the surrounding
mare
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...
. The interior is relatively featureless with a small floor, with mounds of material deposited along the edges of the sloping inner walls.
To the north of the crater, along the edge of the highland peninsula between the two maria is a
domed mountainous rise that is designated
Mons Gruithuisen Gamma
Mons Gruithuisen Gamma (γ) is a lunar dome that lies to the north of the crater Gruithuisen at the western edge of the Mare Imbrium.
This massif is shaped as a rounded dome in the surface, occupying a diameter of 20 km and climbing gen ...
(γ). Just to the east of this feature is another mountainous rise named
Mons Gruithuisen Delta
Mons Gruithuisen Delta is a mountain of the surface of the Moon. It is located north of Gruithuisen (crater), Gruithuisen crater, east of Mons Gruithuisen Gamma. It has an altitude of about 1800 meters and a diameter of about 27 kilometers. The ...
(δ). Northwest of Gruithuisen crater is concentrated cluster of several craterlets, which was most likely formed from a single body that broke up just prior to impact.
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 Gruithuisen.
References
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Impact craters on the Moon