Crookes (crater)

Crookes is a lunar impact crater that lies on the Moon's far side as seen from the Earth. It lies just to the southwest of the giant crater Korolev. To the southwest of Crookes is McKellar.

Crookes
Coordinates10.3°S 164.5°W / -10.3; -164.5
Diameter49 km
DepthUnknown
Colongitude166° at sunrise
EponymWilliam Crookes
Oblique view facing south from Apollo 11. Crookes is right of center, and Crookes D is left of center. Note the prominent chain of secondary craters in the central foreground. Mohorovičić is in the background.
Apollo 8 image of the interior

The rim of this crater has a relatively high albedo compared to most such formations on the Moon, and it lies at the center of a ray system. This ejecta forms a nearly continuous blanket out to at least one crater diameter before forming extended rays and a multitude of wispy markings across the surface. The ray system continues for several hundred kilometers, including extending across a substantial portion of the Korolev basin. Due to these prominent rays, Crookes is mapped as part of the Copernican System.[1]

As would be expected for a relatively young crater, Crookes has a sharp-edged rim that has not been significantly eroded. The inner walls are relatively wide, and have slumped inward along the edges. Offset slightly to the east of the midpoint of the crater is a small central peak on the interior floor.

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Crookes.

Crookes Latitude Longitude Diameter
D 9.6° S 162.8° W 41 km
P 11.7° S 165.8° W 21 km
X 6.6° S 166.2° W 24 km

References

  1. Wilhelms, Don E.; With Sections By Mccauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. (1987), The geologic history of the Moon, USGS Professional Paper: 1348. Plate 11: Copernican System, doi:10.3133/pp1348
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