Catharina (crater)
Encyclopedia
Catharina is an ancient lunar impact crater
located in the southern highlands. It lies in a rugged stretch of land between the Rupes Altai
scarp
to the west and Mare Nectaris
in the east. To the west-northwest is the crater Tacitus
, and the lava-flooded Beaumont
lies to the east along the shore of Mare Imbrium
. To the south-southeast is Polybius
.
With the large craters Cyrillus
and Theophilus
in the north, Catharina forms a prominent grouping that is framed by the curve of the Rupes Altai. Together they form a notable feature when the Sun is at a low angle to the surface. There is also a distinct difference in the ages of these three craters, with the age increasing significantly from north to south.
The rim of Catharina is heavily worn and irregular, with most of the north wall incised by the worn ring of crater Catharina P. The northeast wall is deeply impacted by several smaller craters. No terracing remains on the inner wall, and the outer rampart has been nearly eroded away. The floor is relatively flat but rugged, with a curved ridge formed by Catharina P, and the remains of a smaller crater near the south wall. Nothing remains of a central peak.
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...
located in the southern highlands. It lies in a rugged stretch of land between the Rupes Altai
Rupes Altai
Rupes Altai is an escarpment in the lunar surface that is located in the southeastern quadrant of the Moon's near side. It is named for the Altai Mountains in Asia. The selenographic coordinates of this feature are , and it has a length of about 427 km....
scarp
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
to the west and Mare Nectaris
Mare Nectaris
The Sea of Nectar is a small lunar mare or sea located between the Sea of Tranquillity and the Sea of Fecundity . Montes Pyrenaeus borders the mare to the west and the large crater near the south center of the mare is known as Rosse...
in the east. To the west-northwest is the crater Tacitus
Tacitus (crater)
Tacitus is a lunar impact crater located to the northwest of the crater Catharina, at the northern extension of the Rupes Altai ridge line. Directly west is the crater Almanon, and to the northeast is Cyrillus. To the southeast of Tacitus is a long chain of craters named the Catena Abulfeda...
, and the lava-flooded Beaumont
Beaumont (crater)
Beaumont is a lava-flooded crater located on the southwestern shore of the Mare Nectaris on Earth's Moon. It lies to the northwest of the similarly flooded crater remnant Fracastorius. To the west is the prominent crater Catharina....
lies to the east along the shore of Mare Imbrium
Mare Imbrium
Mare Imbrium, Latin for "Sea of Showers" or "Sea of Rains", is a vast lunar mare filling a basin on Earth's Moon and one of the larger craters in the Solar System. Mare Imbrium was created when lava flooded the giant crater formed when a very large object hit the Moon long ago...
. To the south-southeast is Polybius
Polybius (crater)
Polybius is a lunar impact crater in the southeast part of the Moon. It is located to the south-southeast of the larger crater Catharina, in the area framed by the Rupes Altai scarp...
.
With the large craters Cyrillus
Cyrillus (crater)
Cyrillus is a lunar impact crater located on the northwest edge of Mare Nectaris. Intruding into the northeast rim is the equally large, and younger crater Theophilus. To the south is another prominent crater named Catharina. Together these three craters form a prominent trio in the southeast...
and Theophilus
Theophilus (crater)
Theophilus is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies between Sinus Asperitatis in the north and Mare Nectaris to the southeast. It partially intrudes into the comparably sized crater Cyrillus to the southwest. To the east is the smaller crater Mädler and further to the south-southeast is Beaumont...
in the north, Catharina forms a prominent grouping that is framed by the curve of the Rupes Altai. Together they form a notable feature when the Sun is at a low angle to the surface. There is also a distinct difference in the ages of these three craters, with the age increasing significantly from north to south.
The rim of Catharina is heavily worn and irregular, with most of the north wall incised by the worn ring of crater Catharina P. The northeast wall is deeply impacted by several smaller craters. No terracing remains on the inner wall, and the outer rampart has been nearly eroded away. The floor is relatively flat but rugged, with a curved ridge formed by Catharina P, and the remains of a smaller crater near the south wall. Nothing remains of a central peak.
Satellite craters
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Catharina.| Catharina | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 20.2° S | 22.3° E | 14 km |
| B | 17.0° S | 24.3° E | 24 km |
| C | 20.3° S | 24.4° E | 28 km |
| D | 16.8° S | 21.4° E | 9 km |
| E | 17.1° S | 21.3° E | 7 km |
| F | 19.5° S | 23.1° E | 7 km |
| G | 17.4° S | 24.9° E | 17 km |
| H | 19.2° S | 25.4° E | 6 km |
| J | 19.4° S | 22.2° E | 6 km |
| K | 20.0° S | 23.9° E | 7 km |
| L | 21.0° S | 24.3° E | 5 km |
| M | 19.2° S | 20.7° E | 6 km |
| P | 17.2° S | 23.3° E | 46 km |
| S | 18.8° S | 23.3° E | 16 km |