impact crater
An impact crater is a depression (geology), depression in the surface of a solid astronomical body formed by the hypervelocity impact event, impact of a smaller object. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal c ...
that is located near the southwestern limb of the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
, and is attached to the southeastern rim of the walled plain
Lagrange
Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaInghirami. Piazzi is seen at an oblique angle from the
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
, and it appears oblong due to foreshortening.
As with Lagrange, this formation has been heavily modified by the ejecta from the formation of the
Mare Orientale
Mare Orientale (Latin ''orientāle'', the "eastern sea") is a lunar mare. It is located on the western border of the near side and far side of the Moon, and is difficult to see from an Earthbound perspective. Images from spacecraft have revea ...
impact basin to the northwest. This material has formed radial valleys and ridges across the surface of these craters. The interior floor of Piazzi has dark patches of low albedo along the northeastern rim. The outer rim of the crater is irregular and eroded, and a few small craters lie within the uneven interior.
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 Piazzi.
See also
*
1000 Piazzia
1000 Piazzia, provisional designation ', is a carbonaceous background asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately in diameter. It was discovered on 12 August 1923, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg Observat ...