.gif)
Cauchy (crater)
Encyclopedia
Cauchy is a small lunar
impact crater
on the eastern Mare Tranquillitatis
. It is circular and symmetric, with a small interior floor at the mid-point of the sloping inner walls. Due to the high albedo
of this bowl-shaped formation, it is particularly prominent at full Moon. Just to the northeast of the rim of this crater is the wide rille
named Rima Cauchy, a 210-kilometer-long cleft following a line to the northwest.
Southwest of Cauchy is a 120-km fault in the surface named the Rupes Cauchy. This wall parallels the Rima Cauchy to the northwest. South of Rupes Cauchy are two lunar dome
s designated Omega (ω) Cauchy and Tau (τ) Cauchy. They lie to the south and southwest of Cauchy respectively. Each lunar dome has a tiny craterlet at its crest.
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...
on the eastern Mare Tranquillitatis
Mare Tranquillitatis
Mare Tranquillitatis is a lunar mare that sits within the Tranquillitatis basin on the Moon. The mare material within the basin consists of basalt formed in the intermediate to young age group of the Upper Imbrian epoch. The surrounding mountains are thought to be of the Lower Imbrian epoch, but...
. It is circular and symmetric, with a small interior floor at the mid-point of the sloping inner walls. Due to the high albedo
Albedo
Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it...
of this bowl-shaped formation, it is particularly prominent at full Moon. Just to the northeast of the rim of this crater is the wide rille
Rille
Rille is typically used to describe any of the long, narrow depressions in the lunar surface that resemble channels. Typically a rille can be up to several kilometers wide and hundreds of kilometers in length...
named Rima Cauchy, a 210-kilometer-long cleft following a line to the northwest.
Southwest of Cauchy is a 120-km fault in the surface named the Rupes Cauchy. This wall parallels the Rima Cauchy to the northwest. South of Rupes Cauchy are two lunar dome
Lunar dome
A lunar dome is a type of shield volcano that is found on the surface of the Earth's Moon. They are typically formed by highly viscous, possibly silica-rich lava, erupting from localized vents followed by relatively slow cooling. Lunar domes are wide, rounded, circular features with a gentle slope...
s designated Omega (ω) Cauchy and Tau (τ) Cauchy. They lie to the south and southwest of Cauchy respectively. Each lunar dome has a tiny craterlet at its crest.
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 Cauchy.| Cauchy | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12.1° N | 37.9° E | 8 km |
| B | 9.8° N | 35.8° E | 6 km |
| C | 8.2° N | 38.9° E | 4 km |
| D | 10.0° N | 40.3° E | 9 km |
| E | 8.9° N | 38.6° E | 4 km |
| F | 9.6° N | 36.8° E | 4 km |
| M | 7.6° N | 35.1° E | 5 km |
| U | 8.8° N | 42.3° E | 5 km |
| V | 9.0° N | 41.5° E | 5 km |
| W | 10.6° N | 41.6° E | 4 km |