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Prinz (crater)
Encyclopedia
Prinz is the lava
-flooded remains of a lunar
crater
on the Oceanus Procellarum
. The formation lies to the southwest of the prominent crater Aristarchus
. To the north-northeast is the flooded crater Krieger
.
The rim of Prinz is the most intact in its northeastern half, while a large gap exists in the southern end of the crater wall. The rim climbs to a maximum height of 1.0 km above the base. It is attached along the eastern rim by a low ridge that is part of the foothills of the small Montes Harbinger
range to the northeast. The region of the mare about Prinz is marked by rays
from Aristarchus.
s designated the Rimae Prinz. These are sinuous in nature and extend for up to 80 kilometers. The tiny crater Vera is only a couple of kilometers to the north of Prinz's rim, and serves as the origin of one of these rille
s. Within the same rille complex is the tiny crater Ivan. The crater Vera was previously identified as Prinz A, and Ivan as Prinz B, before they were assigned names by the IAU
.
To the northwest is another distinct rille system designated Rimae Aristarchus.
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...
-flooded remains of a lunar
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...
on the Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Earth's Moon. Its name derives from the old superstition that its appearance during the second quarter heralded bad weather...
. The formation lies to the southwest of the prominent crater Aristarchus
Aristarchus (crater)
Aristarchus is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies in the northwest part of the Moon's near side. It is considered the brightest of the large formations on the lunar surface, with an albedo nearly double that of most lunar features. The feature is bright enough to be visible to the naked eye,...
. To the north-northeast is the flooded crater Krieger
Krieger (crater)
Krieger is a lunar crater on the eastern part of the Oceanus Procellarum. It is located to the north-northwest of the flooded crater Prinz, and north-northeast of the prominent ray crater Aristarchus. To the northwest lies the small Wollaston....
.
The rim of Prinz is the most intact in its northeastern half, while a large gap exists in the southern end of the crater wall. The rim climbs to a maximum height of 1.0 km above the base. It is attached along the eastern rim by a low ridge that is part of the foothills of the small Montes Harbinger
Montes Harbinger
Montes Harbinger is an isolated cluster of lunar mountains at the western edge of the Mare Imbrium basin. They are located to the northeast of the flooded crater Prinz. The mountains consist of four primary ridges plus several smaller hills, each forming a small rise surrounded by the lunar mare...
range to the northeast. The region of the mare about Prinz is marked by rays
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 Aristarchus.
Rimae Prinz
Just to the north of Prinz is a system of rilleRille
Rille is typically used to describe any of the long, narrow depressions in the lunar surface that resemble channels. Typically a rille can be up to several kilometers wide and hundreds of kilometers in length...
s designated the Rimae Prinz. These are sinuous in nature and extend for up to 80 kilometers. The tiny crater Vera is only a couple of kilometers to the north of Prinz's rim, and serves as the origin of one of these rille
Rille
Rille is typically used to describe any of the long, narrow depressions in the lunar surface that resemble channels. Typically a rille can be up to several kilometers wide and hundreds of kilometers in length...
s. Within the same rille complex is the tiny crater Ivan. The crater Vera was previously identified as Prinz A, and Ivan as Prinz B, before they were assigned names 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...
.
| Crater | Longitude | Latitude | Diameter | Name source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan | 26.9° N | 43.3° W | 4 km | Russian Russian language Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics... masculine name |
| Vera | 26.3° N | 43.7° W | 2 km | Latin Latin Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and... feminine name |
To the northwest is another distinct rille system designated Rimae Aristarchus.