Zucchius is a prominent

lunar Lunar most commonly means "of or relating to the Moon". Lunar may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lunar'' (series), a series of video games * "Lunar" (song), by David Guetta * "Lunar", a song by Priestess from the 2009 album ''Prior t ...

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 ...

located near the southwestern limb. Because of its location the crater appears oblong-shaped due to foreshortening. It lies just to the south-southwest of the crater Segner, and northeast of the much larger walled plain Bailly. To the southeast is Bettinus, a formation only slightly larger than Zucchius. The crater rim is symmetrical and shows little significant wear from impacts. The inner wall is

terrace Terrace may refer to: Landforms and construction * Fluvial terrace, a natural, flat surface that borders and lies above the floodplain of a stream or river * Terrace, a street suffix * Terrace, the portion of a lot between the public sidewalk a ...

d, and there is a group of small central peaks that forms a curving arc around the middle of the floor, making it a

complex crater Complex craters are a type of large impact crater morphology. Complex craters are classified into two groups: ''central-peak craters'' and '' peak-ring craters''. Peak-ring craters have diameters that are larger in than central-peak craters and ...

. Due to its

ray system In planetary geology, a ray system comprises radial streaks of fine '' ejecta'' thrown out during the formation of an impact crater, looking somewhat like many thin spokes coming from the hub of a wheel. The rays may extend for lengths up to ...

, Zucchius is mapped as part of the Copernican System. To the northeast of Zucchius is the

Schiller-Zucchius Basin The Schiller-Zucchius Basin is a Pre-Nectarian Impact crater, impact basin on the near side of the Moon. It is named after the elongated crater Schiller (crater), Schiller at the northeast margin and fresh crater Zucchius (crater), Zucchius near ...

, a

Pre-Nectarian The pre-Nectarian period of the lunar geologic timescale runs from 4.533 billion years ago (the time of the initial formation of the Moon) to 3.920 billion years ago, when the Nectaris Basin was formed by a large impact. It is followed by the Necta ...

peak ring A peak ring crater is a type of complex crater, which is different from a multi-ringed basin or central-peak crater. A central peak is not seen; instead, a roughly circular ring or plateau, possibly discontinuous, surrounds the Impact crater, crat ...

basin.The geologic history of the Moon, 1987, Wilhelms, Don E.; with sections by McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. USGS Professional Paper: 1348, Chapter 8.
online
This basin has received the unofficial designation 'Schiller Annular Plain' among lunar observers.

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 Zucchius.

References

* * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zucchius (Crater) Impact craters on the Moon