Sklodowska (lunar crater)

lunar crater data
latitude=18.2
N_or_S=S
longitude=95.5
E_or_W=E
diameter=127 km
depth="Unknown"
colong=266
eponym=Maria S. Curie

Sklodowska is a large lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It lies just past the southeastern limb, and can sometimes be viewed from Earth under favorable conditions of libration and illumination. The crater is located to the northeast of the older Curie walled-plain, and to the southwest of the huge Pasteur walled-plain.

This is a prominent crater with a well-defined rim and little appearance of wear from impact erosion. The edge forms a rough circle, but it is irregular with a number of small outward bulges, particularly to the south and southwest. The small crater 'Sklodowska J' is intruding slightly into the southeastern rim.

The inner walls have a system of multiple terraces, and there is some slumped shelves along the northeastern side. The inner wall is somewhat narrower along the north and wider to the south and northeast. Within the crater the interior floor is a nearly level plain that is marked by a number of small craterlets. There is a prominent central peak formation at the crater mid-point, which consists of two ridges separated by a narrow valley. The larger of the two peaks lies to the northeast of the center, while the smaller is to the southwest.

This crater gained its title from the birth name of Maria Skłodowska-Curie, the Polish-born French scientist.

atellite 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 Sklodowska crater.

References

External links

L&PI topographic maps of crater:
* [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LTO/lto100a1_1/ LTO-100A1 Sklodowska Occidentalis]
* [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LTO/lto100a2_1/ LTO-100A2 Sklodowska Orientalis]