Bilharz (crater)
Encyclopedia
Bilharz is a lunar
impact crater
that lies in the eastern part of the Mare Fecunditatis
. It is the largest member of a close triple-crater formation with Atwood
to the east and Naonobu
to the northeast. To the southeast is the prominent crater Langrenus
.
The interior of this crater has been resurfaced by basalt
ic lava
, leaving the floor flat, shallow, and nearly featureless. There is no central peak at the mid-point, and little to mark the interior except for a few tiny craterlets. The outer rim remains circular and only slightly worn.
Prior to being named by the IAU
, this crater was identified as Langrenus F, a satellite crater of Langrenus.
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
impact crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
that lies in the eastern part of the Mare Fecunditatis
Mare Fecunditatis
Mare Fecunditatis is a lunar mare which is 840 km in diameter. The Fecuditatis basin formed in the Pre-Nectarian epoch, while the basin material surrounding the mare is of the...
. It is the largest member of a close triple-crater formation with Atwood
Atwood (crater)
Atwood is a small lunar impact crater that is located on the Mare Fecunditatis, to the northwest of the prominent crater Langrenus. It forms a triple-crater formation with Naonobu attached to the north rim and Bilharz near the west rim. All three were satellite craters of Langrenus before being...
to the east and Naonobu
Naonobu (crater)
Naonobu is a small lunar impact crater named after Japanese mathematician Ajima Naonobu. It is located on the eastern Mare Fecunditatis, to the northwest of the prominent crater Langrenus, and it forms a triple-crater formation with the adjacent Atwood to the south and Bilharz just to the southwest...
to the northeast. To the southeast is the prominent crater Langrenus
Langrenus (crater)
Langrenus is a prominent impact crater located near the eastern lunar limb. The feature is circular in shape, but appears oblong due to foreshortening. It lies on the eastern shore of the Mare Fecunditatis...
.
The interior of this crater has been resurfaced by basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
, leaving the floor flat, shallow, and nearly featureless. There is no central peak at the mid-point, and little to mark the interior except for a few tiny craterlets. The outer rim remains circular and only slightly worn.
Prior to being named by the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
, this crater was identified as Langrenus F, a satellite crater of Langrenus.