What are Moon craters called?

What are Moon craters called?

The majority of named lunar craters are satellite craters: their names consist of the name of a nearby named crater and a capital letter (for example, Copernicus A, Copernicus B, Copernicus C and so on). Lunar crater chains are usually named after a nearby crater. Their Latin names contain the word Catena (“chain”).

What are lunar highlands?

Lunar Highlands ● Elevated areas on the moon’s surface. ● The lunar highlands are the lighter areas on the moon visible to the naked eye. ● Riddled with craters. Lunar highlands.

What are the lunar seas?

Despite their name, the lunar seas are plains of solidified lava which appear dark on the Moon’s disc. Many lunar seas are large enough to spot with just your eyes, so see how many you can locate for our first challenge sheet.

What is the Moon’s terrain?

The Moon has no atmosphere. There are two primary types of terrain on the Moon: the heavily cratered and very old highlands and the relatively smooth and younger maria. The maria (which comprise about 16% of the Moon’s surface) are huge impact craters that were later flooded by molten lava.

Why are moon craters named?

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union has today officially approved the naming of two craters on the Moon to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission. The names are Anders’ Earthrise and 8 Homeward.

What created the Moon’s craters?

These are impact craters, each of which was formed when an asteroid or comet collided with the Moon’s surface. The large number of craters in this region indicates that this part of the Moon is quite ancient. Geologic processes have not erased the craters with time.

How did the lunar highlands form?

The Indian mission through the Moon mineralogy mapper has offered proof that the Moon’s highlands were formed by the eruption of a hot liquid inside the Moon’s surface popularly known as magma. “The hot liquid, magma, seems to have flowed on to the surface and taken the form of lava.

What is lunar anorthosite?

Lunar anorthosite is a major rock of the lunar highlands, which formed as a result of plagioclase-floatation in the lunar magma ocean (LMO). Constraints on the sufficient conditions that resulted in the formation of a thick pure anorthosite (mode of plagioclase >95 vol.

What are graben Rilles?

Next, we can explore straight rilles, which are thought to have formed due to tectonic forces. These valleys are graben, which form when the surface pulls apart under extensional stresses, and a block of the crust drops down to create the valley floor.

Who named lunar maria?

Giovanni Battista Riccioli
This is a list of maria (large, dark, basaltic plains) on the Moon. It includes other basaltic plains, including the one oceanus as well as features known by the names lacus, palus and sinus. The modern system of lunar nomenclature was introduced in 1651 by Giovanni Battista Riccioli.

Why is the moon called the moon?

The word moon can be traced to the word mōna, an Old English word from medieval times. Mōna shares its origins with the Latin words metri, which means to measure, and mensis, which means month. So, we see that the moon is called the moon because it is used to measure the months.

Who named the moon?

Earth’s moon, the longest known of all, was given the name “Selene” by the Greeks and “Luna” by the Romans, each a goddess.

What is the lunar mare called?

Lunar mare. They were dubbed maria, Latin for “seas”, by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the “highlands” as a result of their iron-rich composition, and hence appear dark to the naked eye. The maria cover about 16% of the lunar surface, mostly on the side visible from Earth.

What are the Maria on the moon called?

The lunar maria / ˈ m ɑːr i ə / (singular: mare / ˈ m ɑːr eɪ /) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth’s Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for “seas”, by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas.

What is the near side of the moon called?

The near side of the Moon, with major maria and craters labeled The lunar maria (/ ˈmɑːriə /; singular: mare / ˈmɑːreɪ /) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth ‘s Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for “seas”, by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas.

What is the nomenclature of the Moon?

The traditional nomenclature for the Moon also includes one oceanus (ocean), as well as features with the names lacus (lake), palus (marsh), and sinus (bay). The last three are smaller than maria, but have the same nature and characteristics.