Lomonosov (lunar crater)

Lomonosov is a lunar impact crater that is located just behind the western limb of the Moon. It is almost attached to the east-northeastern outer rim of the larger crater Joliot, and overlies the southern rim of Maxwell. Attached to the southern rim of Lomonosov is the smaller Edison.

Lomonosov
Oblique Apollo 16 mapping camera image
Coordinates27°18′N 98°00′E / 27.3°N 98.0°E / 27.3; 98.0
Diameter92 km
DepthUnknown
Colongitude263° at sunrise
EponymMikhail V. Lomonosov
Oblique view from Apollo 8 at a high sun angle, demonstrating the crater's dark floor
Oblique Apollo 14 Hasselblad camera image

The interior floor of Lomonosov has been resurfaced with lava flows, leaving a dark, level surface marked only by a few tiny craterlets and some streaks of ray material from Giordano Bruno. Only the lowest portion of the interior is flooded, however, and much of the inner wall of the rim remains uncovered. The inner wall is narrower along the northern edge where the crater overlies Maxwell. There is also slumped material along the base of the inner wall.

This crater was formally named in 1961 by the IAU.[1]

Lomonosov is a crater of Lower (Early) Imbrian age.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lomonosov, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
  2. ^ The geologic history of the Moon. USGS Professional Paper 1348. By Don E. Wilhelms, John F. McCauley, and Newell J. Trask. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington: 1987. Table 10.2.
  • "Crater Lomonosov". ESA - SMART-1. 2006-07-25. Retrieved 2006-08-25.