Edison (crater)
Encyclopedia
Edison is a lunar
crater
on the far side of the Moon
. It is located just behind the north-northeastern limb of the Moon
, a region that is sometimes brought into sight from Earth
during favorable libration
s. However even at such times not much detail can be discerned, and the crater is better observed by orbiting spacecraft
.
The Edison crater is attached to the southeastern outer rim of the crater Lomonosov
, to the east of the walled plain Joliot
. The satellite crater Edison T is attached to the western rim of Edison and the eastern rim of Joliot. To the south of Edison is the crater Dziewulski
, and due east is Artamonov
.
The outer rim of this crater is somewhat eroded, with two small craters along the southern edge, and the outer rampart of Lomonosov intruding slightly into the interior floor. The most intact section of rim is along the eastern side. The interior floor is relatively level, particularly in the southern half, and there is a small craterlet near the western inner wall. The floor displays dark patches and streaks of higher albedo
surface where the ray system
from Giordano Bruno
to the north-northwest. However it is not as dark in hue as the floor of Lomonosov.
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 far side 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...
. It is located just behind the north-northeastern limb 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...
, a region that is sometimes brought into sight from Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
during favorable libration
Libration
In astronomy, libration is an oscillating motion of orbiting bodies relative to each other, notably including the motion of the Moon relative to Earth, or of Trojan asteroids relative to planets.-Lunar libration:...
s. However even at such times not much detail can be discerned, and the crater is better observed by orbiting spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
.
The Edison crater is attached to the southeastern outer rim of the crater Lomonosov
Lomonosov (lunar crater)
Lomonosov is a lunar crater that is located just behind the western limb of the Moon. It is almost attached to the east-northeastern outer rim of the larger crater Joliot, and overlies the southern rim of Maxwell...
, to the east of the walled plain Joliot
Joliot (crater)
Joliot is a large lunar impact crater that lies on the far side of the Moon, just past the eastern limb. At this location it lies in a region of the surface that comes into sight during a favorable libration, although at such times it is viewed from the side...
. The satellite crater Edison T is attached to the western rim of Edison and the eastern rim of Joliot. To the south of Edison is the crater Dziewulski
Dziewulski (crater)
Dziewulski is a lunar crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies between the craters Edison to the north and Popov to the south. The outer rim of this crater has been considerably worn by impacts, particularly along the southwest quadrant where the satellite crater Dziewulski Q overlies the rim...
, and due east is Artamonov
Artamonov (crater)
Artamonov is a lunar crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. The eroded outer rim of Artamonov does not have the circular shape of most lunar craters, and instead has the overall shape of three or four merged craters...
.
The outer rim of this crater is somewhat eroded, with two small craters along the southern edge, and the outer rampart of Lomonosov intruding slightly into the interior floor. The most intact section of rim is along the eastern side. The interior floor is relatively level, particularly in the southern half, and there is a small craterlet near the western inner wall. The floor displays dark patches and streaks of higher 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...
surface where the ray system
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 Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno (crater)
Giordano Bruno is a 22 km lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the northeastern limb. At this location it lies in an area that can be viewed during a favorable libration, although at such times the area is viewed from the side and not much detail can be seen...
to the north-northwest. However it is not as dark in hue as the floor of Lomonosov.
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 Edison.| Edison | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| T | 24.7° N | 97.1° E | 48 km |