Olbers (crater)
Encyclopedia
Olbers is a lunar
crater
that lies at the west edge of the Oceanus Procellarum
, near the western limb of the Moon
. It lies to the northwest of the crater Hevelius
, and to the north of the indistinct Hedin
. Farther to the south is the crater Riccioli
. Due to its location, this crater appears very oblong because of foreshortening. It is viewed nearly edge-on, making observation of the interior difficult from the Earth
.
The rim of Olbers is somewhat worn, with notches to the north, east, and south. The interior floor is relatively flat, especially toward the eastern rim, and is not marked by notable craterlets. The floor is covered by ray material
and ejecta from the adjacent Glushko
.
The following craters have been renamed 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 at the west edge of the Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum
Oceanus Procellarum is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Earth's Moon. Its name derives from the old superstition that its appearance during the second quarter heralded bad weather...
, near the western limb 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...
. It lies to the northwest of the crater Hevelius
Hevelius (crater)
Hevelius is a low-rimmed lunar crater that lies at the western edge of the Oceanus Procellarum, named after Johannes Hevelius. The smaller but prominent crater Cavalerius is joined to the northern rim by low ridges. Due south of Hevelius is the crater Lohrmann and the dark-hued Grimaldi.Only a low,...
, and to the north of the indistinct Hedin
Hedin (crater)
Hedin is a lunar crater of the dimension traditionally termed a walled plain. It lies due south of the crater pair Olbers and Glushko, and northwest of the similarly dimensioned walled plain Riccioli. To the east is another walled plain, Hevelius....
. Farther to the south is the crater Riccioli
Riccioli (crater)
Riccioli is a large lunar impact crater located near the western limb of the Moon. It lies just to the northwest of the even larger and more prominent crater Grimaldi. To the southwest are the craters Hartwig and Schlüter that lie on the northeastern edge of Montes Cordillera, the ring-shaped range...
. Due to its location, this crater appears very oblong because of foreshortening. It is viewed nearly edge-on, making observation of the interior difficult 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 rim of Olbers is somewhat worn, with notches to the north, east, and south. The interior floor is relatively flat, especially toward the eastern rim, and is not marked by notable craterlets. The floor is covered by ray material
Ray system
A ray system comprises radial streaks of fine ejecta thrown out during the formation of an impact crater, looking a bit like many thin spokes coming from the hub of a wheel. The rays can extend for lengths up to several times the diameter of their originating crater, and are often accompanied by...
and ejecta from the adjacent Glushko
Glushko (crater)
Glushko is a young impact crater on the Moon attached to the western rim of the crater Olbers.Glushko possesses a relatively high albedo and is the focus of a prominent ray system that extends in all directions across the nearby surface. It has sharp, well-defined features that, combined with its...
.
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 Olbers.| Olbers | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 6.8° N | 74.1° W | 16 km |
| D | 10.2° N | 78.2° W | 116 km |
| G | 8.4° N | 74.5° W | 10 km |
| H | 8.7° N | 74.4° W | 8 km |
| K | 6.8° N | 78.2° W | 24 km |
| M | 8.0° N | 81.2° W | 33 km |
| N | 9.0° N | 79.7° W | 22 km |
| S | 6.8° N | 76.7° W | 21 km |
| V | 9.1° N | 73.0° W | 7 km |
| W | 5.9° N | 81.5° W | 18 km |
| Y | 6.5° N | 83.6° W | 21 km |
The following craters have been renamed 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...
:
- Olbers A — See Glushko (crater)Glushko (crater)Glushko is a young impact crater on the Moon attached to the western rim of the crater Olbers.Glushko possesses a relatively high albedo and is the focus of a prominent ray system that extends in all directions across the nearby surface. It has sharp, well-defined features that, combined with its...
.