J. Herschel (crater)
Encyclopedia
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 the crater Anaximander
. Bordering the northern rim is a large, unnamed lunar plain. Just to the south is the small crater Horrebow
.
The rim of this crater has been heavily eroded, to the point where it is frequently described as "considerably disintegrated". The remaining rim survives as a ring of ridges that have been resculpted by subsequent impacts. The interior floor is relatively level, but irregular and marked by a multitude of tiny impacts. The most notable of these are the satellite craters C, D, K, and L, listed in the table below. Horrebow A is attached to the southern rim of the crater, and is overlapped along its southwest rim by Horrebow.
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...
of the variety termed a walled plain. It is located in the northern 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...
's surface, and so appears foreshortened when viewed from the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. The southeastern rim of J. Herschel forms part of the edge of the 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...
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...
. To the northwest is the crater Anaximander
Anaximander (crater)
Anaximander is a lunar crater that is located near the northwest limb of the Moon. It is joined at the northern rim by the crater Carpenter, a younger and better-defined formation. To the southeast is the much larger J. Herschel, a formation of the variety known as a walled plain.The outer wall of...
. Bordering the northern rim is a large, unnamed lunar plain. Just to the south is the small crater Horrebow
Horrebow (crater)
Horrebow is a lunar impact crater that is located along the northern shore of Mare Frigoris, just to the south of the walled plain J. Herschel. To the west of Horrebow is the crater Robinson....
.
The rim of this crater has been heavily eroded, to the point where it is frequently described as "considerably disintegrated". The remaining rim survives as a ring of ridges that have been resculpted by subsequent impacts. The interior floor is relatively level, but irregular and marked by a multitude of tiny impacts. The most notable of these are the satellite craters C, D, K, and L, listed in the table below. Horrebow A is attached to the southern rim of the crater, and is overlapped along its southwest rim by Horrebow.
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 J. Herschel.| J. Herschel | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 59.9° N | 38.8° W | 7 km |
| C | 62.3° N | 39.9° W | 12 km |
| D | 60.4° N | 38.0° W | 10 km |
| F | 58.8° N | 35.4° W | 19 km |
| K | 62.9° N | 39.3° W | 8 km |
| L | 61.0° N | 40.0° W | 7 km |
| M | 57.3° N | 32.9° W | 9 km |
| N | 60.0° N | 32.8° W | 7 km |
| P | 63.5° N | 32.8° W | 6 km |
| R | 62.5° N | 30.6° W | 9 km |