South (lunar crater)
Encyclopedia
South is a large lunar
crater
that is located in the northwest part of the Moon
. Most of the southern wall of this crater is joined to the Sinus Roris
bay of the Oceanus Procellarum
, with the southeast rim facing Mare Frigoris
. Attached to the northwest of the formation is the larger walled plain Babbage
. Just to the northeast is the crater Robinson
, and farther to the northeast is another walled plain, J. Herschel
.
Little remains of South's original rim, which is now just a disintegrated ring of low ridges. The most prominent surviving section lies to the northwest, while the southern half of the rim barely exists as low rises in the surface.
The interior floor of South has been resurfaced by basalt
ic lava
, and is relatively level with no prominent features. The floor is pock-marked by many tiny craterlets, especially in the southern half. Several small craterlets lie along the remnant of the southern and southwestern rim.
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 in the northwest 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...
. Most of the southern wall of this crater is joined to the Sinus Roris
Sinus Roris
Sinus Roris is an extension of the northern edge of Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon. The IAU-defined selenographic coordinates of this bay are 54.0° N, 56.6° W, and the diameter is 202 km....
bay of 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...
, with the southeast rim facing Mare Frigoris
Mare Frigoris
Mare Frigoris is a lunar mare located just north of Mare Imbrium, and stretches east to north of Mare Serenitatis. The mare is in the outer rings of the Procellarum basin...
. Attached to the northwest of the formation is the larger walled plain Babbage
Babbage (crater)
Babbage is an ancient lunar crater that is located near the northwest limb of the Moon, named after Charles Babbage. It is attached to the southeastern rim of the prominent crater Pythagoras...
. Just to the northeast is the crater Robinson
Robinson (crater)
Robinson is a small lunar impact crater that lies to the southwest of the large walled plain J. Herschel. It is located in the continental terrain to the north of the Mare Frigoris, in the northwestern part of the Moon's near side...
, and farther to the northeast is another walled plain, J. Herschel
J. Herschel (crater)
J. Herschel is large lunar crater of the variety termed a walled plain. It is located in the northern part of the Moon's surface, and so appears foreshortened when viewed from the Earth. The southeastern rim of J. Herschel forms part of the edge of the Mare Frigoris lunar mare. To the northwest is...
.
Little remains of South's original rim, which is now just a disintegrated ring of low ridges. The most prominent surviving section lies to the northwest, while the southern half of the rim barely exists as low rises in the surface.
The interior floor of South has been resurfaced by basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic lava
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...
, and is relatively level with no prominent features. The floor is pock-marked by many tiny craterlets, especially in the southern half. Several small craterlets lie along the remnant of the southern and southwestern rim.
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 South.| South | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 57.1° N | 49.9° W | 6 km |
| B | 57.5° N | 44.9° W | 14 km |
| C | 55.8° N | 49.4° W | 7 km |
| D | 55.2° N | 48.8° W | 5 km |
| E | 56.7° N | 52.8° W | 8 km |
| F | 57.2° N | 53.9° W | 7 km |
| G | 55.1° N | 53.3° W | 6 km |
| H | 57.2° N | 47.8° W | 4 km |
| K | 59.1° N | 49.9° W | 3 km |
| M | 55.4° N | 51.0° W | 6 km |