Shapley (crater)
Encyclopedia
Shapley is a lunar
crater
that lies along the southern edge of Mare Crisium
. It was previously designated Picard H before being given a name by the IAU
. However the crater Picard
lies about 150 kilometers to the north-northwest across the Mare Crisium. Somewhat closer to this crater are Tebbutt
to the west, and Firmicus
to the east-southeast.
This crater is roughly circular, but appears somewhat oval when viewed from the Earth
due to foreshortening. The interior wall is slightly wider in the southern half, and the outer ridge is attached to a ridge that leads to the south then southeast. The interior floor has a dark hue that matches the adjacent lunar mare
, having a lower albedo
than the terrain to the south. There is a low central peak near the mid-point of the floor.
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 along the southern edge of 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...
. It was previously designated Picard H before being given a name 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...
. However 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...
lies about 150 kilometers to the north-northwest across the Mare Crisium. Somewhat closer to this crater are Tebbutt
Tebbutt (crater)
Tebbutt is a lunar crater that is located near the southwestern edge of Mare Crisium. It was formerly designated Picard G before being named by the IAU, and lies south of the crater Picard...
to the west, and Firmicus
Firmicus (crater)
Firmicus is a lunar crater that lies in the eastern part of the Moon's near side, so that from Earth it appears oval in shape due to foreshortening. It is, however, very nearly circular. The crater is located to the west of the Mare Undarum, and northeast of the similar-sized crater Apollonius. To...
to the east-southeast.
This crater is roughly circular, but appears somewhat oval 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...
due to foreshortening. The interior wall is slightly wider in the southern half, and the outer ridge is attached to a ridge that leads to the south then southeast. The interior floor has a dark hue that matches the adjacent 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...
, having a lower albedo
Albedo
Albedo , or reflection coefficient, is the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface. It is defined as the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it...
than the terrain to the south. There is a low central peak near the mid-point of the floor.