Theophrastus (crater)
Encyclopedia
Theophrastus is a small lunar
impact crater
at the southern part of the Sinus Amoris
, a bay at the northeast part of the Mare Tranquillitatis
. It lies to the southeast of the lava
-flooded crater Maraldi
, and was designated Maraldi M until the IAU
gave it its current name. Just to the southeast of Theophrastus is the flooded Franz
.
This is a circular crater, with inner walls that slope down to the mid-point and a rim that rises slightly above the surrounding lunar mare
. The crater has nearly the same low albedo
as the nearby surface. It has no other distinctive features, and is not significantly eroded.
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...
at the southern part of the Sinus Amoris
Sinus Amoris
Sinus Amoris extends northward from the northeast end of the Mare Tranquillitatis. It is located at selenographic coordinates 18.1° N, 39.1° E, and lies within a diameter of 130 km. To the north of the bay are the jumbled Montes Taurus peaks.Near the southern end of the bay where it outlets...
, a bay at the northeast part of the Mare Tranquillitatis
Mare Tranquillitatis
Mare Tranquillitatis is a lunar mare that sits within the Tranquillitatis basin on the Moon. The mare material within the basin consists of basalt formed in the intermediate to young age group of the Upper Imbrian epoch. The surrounding mountains are thought to be of the Lower Imbrian epoch, but...
. It lies to the southeast of the 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...
-flooded crater Maraldi
Maraldi (lunar crater)
Maraldi is a worn, eroded crater on the western edge of the Sinus Amoris, in the northeast part of the Moon. To the west-southwest is the crater Vitruvius, and to the northwest lies the worn Littrow...
, and was designated Maraldi M until 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...
gave it its current name. Just to the southeast of Theophrastus is the flooded Franz
Franz (crater)
Franz is a small lunar crater that is located along the eastern edge of the Sinus Amoris, a bay that forms a northern extension to the Mare Tranquillitatis. It lies to the southwest of the prominent crater Macrobius...
.
This is a circular crater, with inner walls that slope down to the mid-point and a rim that rises slightly above the surrounding lunar mare
Lunar mare
The lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
. The crater has nearly the same low albedo
Albedo
Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it...
as the nearby surface. It has no other distinctive features, and is not significantly eroded.