Fabry (crater)
Encyclopedia
Fabry is a large lunar
crater
of the form termed a walled plain. It is located on the far side of the Moon
, just beyond the northeastern limb. Parts of this area are sometimes brought into view by the effects of libration
, but the terrain is seen from the edge and so not much in the way of detail can be observed.
This formation is of significant dimensions in its own right, but it overlies the northeast rim of an even larger basin named Harkhebi
. To the west is the crater Vashakidze
, and east of Fabry is the small Petrie
. Northwards lies Swann
.
The outer rim of Fabry is heavily worn and eroded, with notches from subsequent impacts. A pair of small craters, including Fabry H, lies along the eastern rim. Smaller craters lie along many parts of this remaining rim, most notably a small crater across the southern rim, and a short, hook-shaped valley cutting across the northwest rim. Only a few sections of the rim remain relatively intact, while the remainder is merely a ring of mountainous terrain.
Sections of the interior floor are relatively smooth and level, but the surface is rough and irregular in the northeast quadrant. There is a central peak formed from a long massif
that covers nearly a quarter of the crater diameter from west to east. At the southeast end of this formation is a small crater, located just to the southeast of the mid-point. The remainder of the floor has been resurfaced, and now is marked only by tiny craterlets and the rough ground along the edge of the rim.
Ray material
from the young crater Giordano Bruno
to the south carries across the floor of Harkhebi, and lies in a few faint patches on the floor of Fabry. This is most notable in the southern part of the crater to the south of the small crater near the mid-point.
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...
of the form termed a walled plain. It is located 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...
, just beyond the northeastern limb. Parts of this area are sometimes brought into view by the effects of 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:...
, but the terrain is seen from the edge and so not much in the way of detail can be observed.
This formation is of significant dimensions in its own right, but it overlies the northeast rim of an even larger basin named Harkhebi
Harkhebi (crater)
Harkhebi is a large lunar crater of the category termed a walled plain. Half of the crater to the north-northwest is overlain by the walled plain Fabry, a large formation in its own right. Attached to the northwestern rim is the much smaller crater Vashakidze...
. To the west is the crater Vashakidze
Vashakidze (crater)
Vashakidze is a lunar impact crater that is located on the Moon's far side, just beyond the northeastern limb. This area of the surface is not completely hidden from the Earth, however, as suitable combinations of libration and sunlight will bring it into view. The southeastern rim of this crater...
, and east of Fabry is the small Petrie
Petrie (crater)
Petrie is a relatively small lunar impact crater that is located to the east of the much larger walled plain Fabry. To the east is the smaller crater Rayet. Most of the rim of Petrie is sharp-edged, with a deposit of scree along the base of the inner wall...
. Northwards lies Swann
Swann (crater)
Swann is a lunar crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, to the southeast of the prominent crater Compton. This is a heavily worn and battered formation that is now scarcely recognizable as a crater. The terrain along the rim and the interior resembles the surrounding surface, being...
.
The outer rim of Fabry is heavily worn and eroded, with notches from subsequent impacts. A pair of small craters, including Fabry H, lies along the eastern rim. Smaller craters lie along many parts of this remaining rim, most notably a small crater across the southern rim, and a short, hook-shaped valley cutting across the northwest rim. Only a few sections of the rim remain relatively intact, while the remainder is merely a ring of mountainous terrain.
Sections of the interior floor are relatively smooth and level, but the surface is rough and irregular in the northeast quadrant. There is a central peak formed from a long massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
that covers nearly a quarter of the crater diameter from west to east. At the southeast end of this formation is a small crater, located just to the southeast of the mid-point. The remainder of the floor has been resurfaced, and now is marked only by tiny craterlets and the rough ground along the edge of the rim.
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 the young crater 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 south carries across the floor of Harkhebi, and lies in a few faint patches on the floor of Fabry. This is most notable in the southern part of the crater to the south of the small crater near the mid-point.
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 Fabry.| Fabry | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | 41.9° N | 105.2° E | 37 km |
| X | 49.0° N | 96.7° E | 28 km |