When can you see Copernicus crater?
On May 20, 2021, soon after sunset, look at the Moon along its terminator (the line where light meets dark) for a chance to glimpse its biggest and brightest crater, Copernicus, named after the famed 16th-century Polish astronomer and theologian Nicolaus Copernicus.
How deep is the Copernicus crater?
2.4 miles
Copernicus is believed to be a lunar impact crater, formed by the collision from the fragment of an asteroid some 800 million years ago. It’s a circular crater measuring 58 miles (93 kilometers) across and 2.4 miles (3.8 km) deep.
How old is Copernicus crater on the Moon?
800 million years old
Later, material believed to be Copernicus ejecta was sampled by Apollo 12 astronauts, and these samples were radiometrically dated to be close to 800 million years old. 800 million years old is certainly an ancient age by terrestrial standards but is a relatively young age for the Moon.
Where is the Kepler crater located?
Mars
Kepler is a crater on Mars, located in the Eridania quadrangle at 46.8° S, 140.9° E. It measures approximately 228 kilometres (142 miles) and was named in 1973, by the International Astronomical Union, in honor of the astronomer Johannes Kepler.
How old is Grimaldi crater?
3.9 billion years
Grimaldi is very ancient and belongs to the pre-Nectarian period, so that its age cannot be less than 3.9 billion years. The inner wall, about 140km across, has been so damaged that it has been reduced to irregular hills, ridges and peaks, though in places there are peaks rising to at least 2km.
What Moon feature is named Copernicus?
Copernicus is a lunar impact crater located in eastern Oceanus Procellarum. It was named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. It typifies craters that formed during the Copernican period in that it has a prominent ray system.
Who discovered the Copernicus crater?
As the moon climbs the western sky this week, watch it with binoculars. Earth’s natural satellite shows at least as much detail through binoculars as Galileo Galilei saw with his crude telescope 400 years ago.
Why is moon full of craters?
Craters on the Moon are caused by asteroids and meteorites colliding with the lunar surface. Unlike the Earth, the Moon has no atmosphere to protect itself from impacting bodies. It also has very little geologic activity (like volcanoes) or weathering (from wind or rain) so craters remain intact from billions of years.
What is the lunar latitude and longitude of the crater named Copernicus located near the center of the map?
7.50°N 22.39°W. Copernicus H, a typical “dark-halo” crater, was a target of observation by Lunar Orbiter 5 in 1967.
Where is Aristarchus on the Moon?
Aristarchus is a 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.
What are the seas on the Moon?
The lunar maria (/ˈmɑːriə/; singular: mare /ˈmɑːreɪ/) 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.
How wide is Copernicus?
Located at 10° N, 20° W, near the southern rim of the Imbrium Basin (Mare Imbrium) impact structure, Copernicus measures 93 km (58 miles) in diameter and is a source of radial bright rays, light-coloured streaks on the lunar surface formed of material ejected by the impact.
Where is the Copernicus crater on the Moon?
Copernicus is a lunar impact crater located in eastern Oceanus Procellarum. It typifies craters that formed during the Copernican period in that it has a prominent ray system extending out 180 degrees around the central impact site. The crater rays spread as far as 800 kilometers (500 miles) across the surrounding mare.
Where did the rays from Copernicus crater come from?
The crater rays spread as far as 800 kilometers across the surrounding mare, overlying rays from the craters Aristarchus and Kepler. The rays are less distinct than the long, linear rays extending from Tycho, instead forming a nebulous pattern with plumy markings.
Why did Apollo 12 land south of Copernicus?
The Apollo 12 mission landed south of Copernicus on mare basalts of Oceanus Procellarum that were believed to have been in the path of one of the crater’s rays, and scientists hoped cosmic ray exposure ages of soil samples would help constrain the crater age.
Which is the most famous crater on the Moon?
Copernicus, one of the most prominent craters on the Moon. It constitutes a classic example of a relatively young, well-preserved lunar impact crater.