Kao (crater)
Encyclopedia
Kao is a small lunar
crater
that is located near the eastern limb of the Moon
. It lies near the southern edge of the Mare Smythii
, a lunar mare
that continues onto the far side of the surface. This crater lies to the east-southeast of the crater Widmannstätten
. Less than a crater diameter to the north-northeast is the small crater Tucker
.
This crater forms part of a merged pair with Helmert
to the south. There is a gap in the sides of the crater where they are joined together, and they share a common floor that has been resurfaced by lava
. The outer rim of this crater now forms little more than a shallow ring in the surface, with the rim lowest along the northern side. It is unmarked by impacts of significance. However there is a small crater along the southeastern edge where the rim joins that of Helmert.
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...
that is located near the eastern 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...
. It lies near the southern edge of the Mare Smythii
Mare Smythii
Mare Smythii is a lunar mare located along the equator on the easternmost edge of the lunar near side. The Smythii basin where the mare is located is of the Pre-Nectarian epoch, while the surrounding features are of the Nectarian system...
, a 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...
that continues onto the far side of the surface. This crater lies to the east-southeast of the crater Widmannstätten
Widmannstätten (crater)
Widmannstätten is a lunar crater in the southern part of the Mare Smythii, near the eastern limb of the Moon. The rim of this crater has a wide gap along the western side, where it is joined to the larger Kiess. There is also a gap in the northern rim where the crater floor is joined to the...
. Less than a crater diameter to the north-northeast is the small crater Tucker
Tucker (crater)
Tucker is a small lunar impact crater in the southern part of the Mare Smythii. It is located along the eastern limb of the Moon, and from the Earth it is seen nearly from the edge...
.
This crater forms part of a merged pair with Helmert
Helmert (crater)
Helmert is a lunar crater at the southern edge of the Mare Smythii. It lies near the eastern limb of the Moon, and from the Earth it is seen nearly from the side. The visibility of this feature can be strongly affected by libration of the Moon in its orbit....
to the south. There is a gap in the sides of the crater where they are joined together, and they share a common floor that has been resurfaced by 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...
. The outer rim of this crater now forms little more than a shallow ring in the surface, with the rim lowest along the northern side. It is unmarked by impacts of significance. However there is a small crater along the southeastern edge where the rim joins that of Helmert.