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Democritus (crater)
Encyclopedia
Democritus is a lunar
impact crater
that is located on the northern part of the Moon
, just to the north of the Mare Frigoris
. Just to the south of Democritus is the lava
-flooded crater Gärtner
, which forms a bay on the mare
. Directly to the north is Arnold
, another flooded formation.
The rim of Democritus is generally sharp-edged and shows little sign of erosion. It forms not quite a circle, with outward notch-like bulges that give it a slightly irregular shape. The inner walls have single or double terraces that lead down to a relatively flat interior floor. Near the mid-point of the crater is a small central peak.
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 is located on the northern 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...
, just to the north of the Mare Frigoris
Mare Frigoris
Mare Frigoris is a lunar mare located just north of Mare Imbrium, and stretches east to north of Mare Serenitatis. The mare is in the outer rings of the Procellarum basin...
. Just to the south of Democritus is the 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...
-flooded crater Gärtner
Gärtner (crater)
Gärtner is the lava-flooded remnant of a crater in the northeast part of the Moon. It is located on the northern edge of the Mare Frigoris. The southern half of the formation is completely missing, and Gärtner forms a semi-circular basin along the edges of the lunar mare...
, which forms a bay on the 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...
. Directly to the north is Arnold
Arnold (crater)
Arnold is a lunar crater that is located in the north-northeastern part of the visible Moon, near the lunar limb. This location gives the crater a notably oval appearance due to foreshortening, although the formation is actually relatively round. It lies to the northeast of the Mare Frigoris, to...
, another flooded formation.
The rim of Democritus is generally sharp-edged and shows little sign of erosion. It forms not quite a circle, with outward notch-like bulges that give it a slightly irregular shape. The inner walls have single or double terraces that lead down to a relatively flat interior floor. Near the mid-point of the crater is a small 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 Democritus.| Democritus | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 61.6° N | 32.4° E | 11 km |
| B | 60.1° N | 28.6° E | 12 km |
| D | 62.9° N | 31.2° E | 8 km |
| K | 63.1° N | 40.7° E | 7 km |
| L | 63.4° N | 39.7° E | 18 km |
| M | 63.6° N | 37.1° E | 5 km |
| N | 63.6° N | 34.3° E | 16 km |