HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Mason is the remains of 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 in the northeastern part 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 nearly attached to the eastern rim of the flooded crater Plana, and southeast of Bürg. Along the northern rim of Mason is the southern edge of the
Lacus Mortis Lacus Mortis (Latin ''mortis'', "Lake of Death") is a hexagonal-shaped plain of basaltic lava flows in the northeastern part of the Moon's near face. It was formed as a floor-fractured crater during the pre-Imbrian epoch, then flooded during the ...
, a small
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' ...
. To the south is the larger
Lacus Somniorum Lacus Somniorum (Latin ''somniōrum'', "Lake of Dreams") is a basaltic plain located in the northeastern part of the Moon's near side. It is located at selenographic coordinates 37.56° N, 30.8° E, and has a diameter of 424.76 kilometers. The n ...
. This is a heavily eroded crater formation that is somewhat irregular in shape, being longer in the east–west direction. The rim is an uneven, disintegrated ring of ridges that have merged with the rough terrain to the south and east. There are clefts or valleys in the western rim that reach the eastern rim of Plana. The interior floor has been resurfaced by
lava Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or un ...
, and forms a nearly level basin within the rim. The small crater Mason A lies in the northwest part of the floor. The crater is named after the English astronomer
Charles Mason Charles Mason (April 1728 By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Mason. MACEDO


References

* * * * * * * * * * * {{refend
Impact craters on the Moon