Curtis (crater)
Encyclopedia
Curtis is a tiny lunar
crater
that lies in the western Mare Crisium
, to the east of the crater Picard
. It is a circular, cup-shaped formation that is otherwise undistinguished.
In the past it was designated Picard Z, before it was assigned an eponym 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...
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 lies in the western Mare Crisium
Mare Crisium
Mare Crisium is a lunar mare located in the Moon's Crisium basin, just northeast of Mare Tranquillitatis. This basin is of the Pre-Imbrian period, 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago. This mare is in diameter, and 176,000 km2 in area. It has a very flat floor, with a ring of wrinkled ridges...
, to the east of the crater Picard
Picard (crater)
Picard is a lunar impact crater that lies in Mare Crisium. To the west is the almost completely flooded crater Yerkes. Due east of Picard is the tiny Curtis. being slightly larger than Peirce to the north-northwest...
. It is a circular, cup-shaped formation that is otherwise undistinguished.
In the past it was designated Picard Z, before it was assigned an eponym 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...
.