Poinsot (crater)
Encyclopedia
Poinsot is a worn lunar
crater
that is located at the northern part of the Moon
on the far side. It lies to the south of the walled plain Rozhdestvenskiy
. To the south is the smaller crater Heymans
.
This formation has been heavily worn by subsequent impacts, leaving a round-shouldered outer rim that is nearly even with the surrounding terrain and an inner surface that slopes down to the floor without terraces or horizontal features. A number of tiny craterlets lie along the rim edge and inner walls, as well as across the level interior surface. The floor lacks a central peak at the mid-point, but has a small but notable crater lying next to the western inner wall.
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 at the northern 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...
on the far side. It lies to the south of the walled plain Rozhdestvenskiy
Rozhdestvenskiy (crater)
Rozhdestvenskiy is a large lunar crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, within one crater diameter of the north pole. It lies sandwiched between the craters Hermite along the eastern rim, and Plaskett which intrudes slightly into the west-southwestern rim...
. To the south is the smaller crater Heymans
Heymans (crater)
Heymans is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northern part of the Moon on the far side from the Earth. It lies between the craters Poinsot to the north and Hippocrates slightly farther to the south. To the southeast of Heymans is the larger Mezentsev.This crater has been worn by...
.
This formation has been heavily worn by subsequent impacts, leaving a round-shouldered outer rim that is nearly even with the surrounding terrain and an inner surface that slopes down to the floor without terraces or horizontal features. A number of tiny craterlets lie along the rim edge and inner walls, as well as across the level interior surface. The floor lacks a central peak at the mid-point, but has a small but notable crater lying next to the western inner wall.
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 Poinsot.| Poinsot | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | 80.2° N | 129.8° W | 25 km |
| K | 77.6° N | 141.3° W | 16 km |
| P | 77.2° N | 149.7° W | 27 km |