Cuvier (crater)
Encyclopedia
Cuvier is a lunar
crater
on the southern part of the Moon
's near side. It is attached to the east-southeast rim of the unusually shaped formation Heraclitus
. To the northeast is the crater Clairaut
.
The rim of this crater has been worn and eroded by subsequent impacts, leaving an outer wall that has been rounded and diminished in prominence. There is a small but notable crater pair lying across the northern rim, and two other smaller craters lay along the east and south rims. There are also several small craterlets laying across the rim to the north-northwest. Where the rim is shared with Heraclitus, there is a slight inward bulge to the wall, producing a short section where the rim appears slightly flatter.
The interior floor is level and nearly featureless, and much of the floor appears to have been resurfaced. This surface does not possess the low albedo
characteristic of the lunar mare
, and it matches the hue of the surrounding terrain. Instead the floor is marked by faint traces of ray material
from elsewhere.
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...
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 southern part of the Moon
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...
's near side. It is attached to the east-southeast rim of the unusually shaped formation Heraclitus
Heraclitus (crater)
Heraclitus is a complex lunar crater that lies in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon. The crater Licetus forms the northern end of the formation. Just to the east is Cuvier, and due south is Lilius...
. To the northeast is the crater Clairaut
Clairaut (crater)
Clairaut is a lunar crater that is located in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon's near side. It lies directly to the south of the crater Maurolycus and southeast of Barocius. Just to the southwest is Cuvier....
.
The rim of this crater has been worn and eroded by subsequent impacts, leaving an outer wall that has been rounded and diminished in prominence. There is a small but notable crater pair lying across the northern rim, and two other smaller craters lay along the east and south rims. There are also several small craterlets laying across the rim to the north-northwest. Where the rim is shared with Heraclitus, there is a slight inward bulge to the wall, producing a short section where the rim appears slightly flatter.
The interior floor is level and nearly featureless, and much of the floor appears to have been resurfaced. This surface does not possess the low 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...
characteristic of the lunar mare
Lunar mare
The lunar maria 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. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
, and it matches the hue of the surrounding terrain. Instead the floor is marked by faint traces of ray material
Ray system
A ray system comprises radial streaks of fine ejecta thrown out during the formation of an impact crater, looking a bit like many thin spokes coming from the hub of a wheel. The rays can extend for lengths up to several times the diameter of their originating crater, and are often accompanied by...
from elsewhere.
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 Cuvier.| Cuvier | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 52.4° S | 12.0° E | 18 km |
| B | 51.7° S | 13.8° E | 17 km |
| C | 49.9° S | 11.7° E | 9 km |
| D | 51.3° S | 7.8° E | 17 km |
| E | 52.3° S | 12.9° E | 19 km |
| F | 52.2° S | 11.2° E | 16 km |
| G | 50.8° S | 7.5° E | 8 km |
| H | 48.6° S | 8.5° E | 10 km |
| J | 49.3° S | 8.8° E | 6 km |
| K | 52.2° S | 10.0° E | 8 km |
| L | 48.9° S | 9.8° E | 13 km |
| M | 53.3° S | 10.9° E | 6 km |
| N | 53.4° S | 12.1° E | 4 km |
| O | 51.6° S | 12.1° E | 10 km |
| P | 50.0° S | 12.7° E | 11 km |
| Q | 51.6° S | 10.6° E | 13 km |
| R | 51.0° S | 13.1° E | 7 km |