Scott (crater)
Encyclopedia
Scott is a lunar
impact crater
near the south pole of the Moon
. Its location close to the lunar limb hinders observation, both from the foreshortening of the crater as seen from Earth
and from the limited sunlight that enters the basin. In fact the northern end of this crater is in near perpetual darkness, and has not been mapped in detail. Scott lies between the similar-sized crater Amundsen
to the southeast and Schomberger
to the northwest. Just to the northeast is the crater Demonax
.
The rim of this crater has been heavily eroded and the features are worn and irregular, although the crater basin remains roughly circular. There are several crater formations attached to the west and northwest outer rim, the most well-formed of which is the satellite crater Scott E. There is also small crater along the southeast inner wall, and several tiny craterlets across the inner floor. The interior surface is rougher at the southern end, and grows smoother and flatter toward the shadow-cloaked north end. There is no central peak at the crater mid-point.
The placement of Scott, both in relation to Amundsen and the lunar
south pole, relates to the Antarctic explorers Roald Amundsen
and Robert Falcon Scott
, and their race to be the first humans to reach the south pole
of the Earth
.
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...
near the south pole 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...
. Its location close to the lunar limb hinders observation, both from the foreshortening of the crater as seen from 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 from the limited sunlight that enters the basin. In fact the northern end of this crater is in near perpetual darkness, and has not been mapped in detail. Scott lies between the similar-sized crater Amundsen
Amundsen (crater)
Amundsen is a large lunar impact crater located near the south pole of the Moon, named after the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. It lies along the southern lunar limb, and so is viewed from the side by an observer on the Earth. To the northwest is the crater Scott, a formation of similar...
to the southeast and Schomberger
Schomberger (crater)
Schomberger is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies in the southern part of the Moon, in the area near the limb. It is located to the southwest of the crater Boguslawsky, and southeast of Simpelius...
to the northwest. Just to the northeast is the crater Demonax
Demonax (crater)
Demonax is a lunar impact crater near the southern limb of the Moon. This location makes the crater difficult to observe due to foreshortening. The crater is also illuminated at a very low angle, when it is in the sunlit side. Demonax lies just to the north of the crater Scott, one of the south...
.
The rim of this crater has been heavily eroded and the features are worn and irregular, although the crater basin remains roughly circular. There are several crater formations attached to the west and northwest outer rim, the most well-formed of which is the satellite crater Scott E. There is also small crater along the southeast inner wall, and several tiny craterlets across the inner floor. The interior surface is rougher at the southern end, and grows smoother and flatter toward the shadow-cloaked north end. There is no central peak at the crater mid-point.
The placement of Scott, both in relation to Amundsen and the 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...
south pole, relates to the Antarctic explorers Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
and Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
, and their race to be the first humans to reach the south pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
of the 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...
.
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 Scott.| Scott | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | 81.1° S | 35.5° E | 28 km |
| M | 84.3° S | 39.7° E | 16 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...
.
- Scott A — See NobileNobile (crater)Nobile is a lunar crater that is located near the southern pole of the Moon. It lies to the south of the crater Scott, along the western rim of Amundsen. Between Nobile and the southern pole lie the smaller craters Shoemaker and Faustini....
.