Pettit (lunar crater)
Encyclopedia
Pettit is a lunar
impact crater
that lies near the western limb of the Moon
. In this location the crater is viewed nearly from the side by observers on Earth
, and visibility can be significantly affected by libration
effects.
The crater lies among the rugged features of the Montes Rook
, the inner ring of mountains that surround the Mare Orientale
impact basin. It is nearly a twin of the crater Nicholson
which lies less than one crater diameter to the northeast. Another similar formation is Wright
almost due south.
The rim of this crater has something of the appearance of a rounded hexagon, with slightly flattened rims to the east and west. The rim is sharp-edged, and the inner wall material has slumped down to lie in a pile around the base. The interior floor is a rugged jumble, with a small central peak and hills to the north and west. Beyond the rim lies rugged terrain to the north and west, while the ground becomes less jumbled to the southeast beyond the edge of the mountain foothills.
This formation should not be mistaken for ths similarly named crater Petit
, a small feature on the eastern half of the Moon's near side.
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...
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 lies near the western 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...
. In this location the crater is viewed nearly from the side by observers on 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...
, and visibility can be significantly affected by 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:...
effects.
The crater lies among the rugged features of the Montes Rook
Montes Rook
Montes Rook is a ring-shaped mountain range that lies along the western limb of the Moon, crossing over to the far side. It completely encircles the Mare Orientale, and forms part of a massive impact basin feature...
, the inner ring of mountains that surround the Mare Orientale
Mare Orientale
Mare Orientale is one of the most striking large scale lunar features, resembling a target ring bull's-eye. Located on the extreme western edge of the lunar nearside, this impact basin is difficult to see from an Earthbound perspective.Material from this basin was not sampled by the Apollo program...
impact basin. It is nearly a twin of the crater Nicholson
Nicholson (lunar crater)
Nicholson is a lunar impact crater located at the western limb. In this position it is subject to libration, which can limit observation. The crater is also viewed at a very oblique angle, so it is seen from the side when observed from the Earth. It is an irregular, somewhat pear-shaped formation...
which lies less than one crater diameter to the northeast. Another similar formation is Wright
Wright (lunar crater)
Wright is a lunar impact crater that is located near the western limb of the Moon. It lies on the irregular plain between the Montes Cordillera and Montes Rook, two ring-shaped mountain ranges that surround the Mare Orientale. To the north of Wright is the crater Pettit.The outer rim of Wright is...
almost due south.
The rim of this crater has something of the appearance of a rounded hexagon, with slightly flattened rims to the east and west. The rim is sharp-edged, and the inner wall material has slumped down to lie in a pile around the base. The interior floor is a rugged jumble, with a small central peak and hills to the north and west. Beyond the rim lies rugged terrain to the north and west, while the ground becomes less jumbled to the southeast beyond the edge of the mountain foothills.
This formation should not be mistaken for ths similarly named crater Petit
Petit (crater)
Petit is a small, bowl-shaped lunar crater that is located on the northwestern edge of the Mare Spumans. The name is appropriate, since Petit means small in French. But it was actually named in honor of Alexis Thérèse Petit, a French physicist....
, a small feature on the eastern half of the Moon's near side.
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 Pettit.| Pettit | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 24.8° S | 88.9° W | 8 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...
.
- Pettit T — See Shuleykin (crater)Shuleykin (crater)Shuleykin is a small lunar impact crater that lies to the south of Mare Orientale, within the ring-shaped Montes Rook. It is located just on the far side of the Moon, but this area can be viewed from the Earth during periods of favorable libration and lighting, although it can only be seen from the...
.