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Peirce (crater)
Encyclopedia
Peirce is a small lunar
crater
, named in honor of the mathematician Benjamin Peirce
, which lies in the western part of Mare Crisium
. That dark, circular lunar mare
is located in the east-northeasterly part of the Moon
's near side. Peirce lies to the north of the craters Yerkes
and Picard
, and southeast of Macrobius
located outside the mare. Just over a crater diameter to the north of Peirce is the smaller Swift
.
The rim of Peirce is roughly circular, with a slight outward bulge along the northwestern rim. There are indications of slumping along the sides of this section, producing a wider inner wall. It is generally bowl-shaped, and is marked only by a tiny craterlet along the inner southeast rim. The interior is marked by several furrows, ridges, as well as a low, conical hill near the mid-point.
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU
.
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...
, named in honor of the mathematician Benjamin Peirce
Benjamin Peirce
Benjamin Peirce was an American mathematician who taught at Harvard University for approximately 50 years. He made contributions to celestial mechanics, statistics, number theory, algebra, and the philosophy of mathematics....
, which lies in the western part of Mare Crisium
Mare Crisium
Mare Crisium is a lunar mare located in the Moon's Crisium basin, just northeast of Mare Tranquillitatis. This basin is of the Pre-Imbrian period, 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago. This mare is in diameter, and 176,000 km2 in area. It has a very flat floor, with a ring of wrinkled ridges...
. That dark, circular 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...
is located in the east-northeasterly 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. Peirce lies to the north of the craters Yerkes
Yerkes (crater)
Yerkes is a lunar crater near the western edge of Mare Crisium. In the past the interior of this crater has been almost completely inundated by lava, leaving only a shallow remnant of a rim above the mare. The rim is widest on the western and southern portions, and barely existent to the east,...
and Picard
Picard (crater)
Picard is a lunar impact crater that lies in Mare Crisium. To the west is the almost completely flooded crater Yerkes. Due east of Picard is the tiny Curtis. being slightly larger than Peirce to the north-northwest...
, and southeast of Macrobius
Macrobius (crater)
Macrobius is a prominent lunar impact crater located to the northwest of the Mare Crisium. It lies on the southeast edge of the Lacus Bonitatis, a small lunar mare. The somewhat smaller crater Tisserand lies just to the east....
located outside the mare. Just over a crater diameter to the north of Peirce is the smaller Swift
Swift (lunar crater)
Swift is a tiny lunar impact crater that is located in the northwestern part of the Mare Crisium, in the northeast part of the Moon's near side. Within two crater diameters to the south is the larger crater Peirce...
.
The rim of Peirce is roughly circular, with a slight outward bulge along the northwestern rim. There are indications of slumping along the sides of this section, producing a wider inner wall. It is generally bowl-shaped, and is marked only by a tiny craterlet along the inner southeast rim. The interior is marked by several furrows, ridges, as well as a low, conical hill 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 Peirce.| Peirce | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 18.8° N | 49.9° E | 19 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
.
- Peirce B — See Swift (lunar crater)Swift (lunar crater)Swift is a tiny lunar impact crater that is located in the northwestern part of the Mare Crisium, in the northeast part of the Moon's near side. Within two crater diameters to the south is the larger crater Peirce...
.
External links
- LTO-44D4 Peirce — L&PI topographic mapTopographic mapA topographic map is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief, usually using contour lines in modern mapping, but historically using a variety of methods. Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and man-made features...
- Peirce Crater: Apollo 17 vs Lunar Orbiter 4 (accessed 10/04/05.)