Schiller-Zucchius Basin

Schiller-Zucchius Basin

Lunar Orbiter 4 image showing most of the basin, highlighted in red
Coordinates 56°00′S 45°00′W / 56.0°S 045.0°W / -56.0; -045.0Coordinates: 56°00′S 45°00′W / 56.0°S 045.0°W / -56.0; -045.0
Diameter 335 km[1]
Eponym Schiller and Zucchius craters

The Schiller-Zucchius Basin is a Pre-Nectarian impact basin on the near side of the moon.[2] It is named after the elongated crater Schiller at the northeast margin and fresh crater Zucchius near the southwest margin. This basin has received the unofficial designation 'Schiller Annular Plain' among lunar observers.

The basin has a clear but eroded outer rim and a partial inner ring.

Also at the center is a mass concentration (mascon), or gravitational high. The mascon was first identified by Doppler tracking of the Lunar Prospector spacecraft.[3]

Other craters within the basin include Segner and Weigel, as well as many satellite craters. Due south of the basin is Bettinus, to the northwest of the basin are Phocylides and Nasmyth, to the north is Nöggerath, and to the east is Rost.

References

  1. ↑ The geologic history of the Moon, 1987, Wilhelms, Don E.; with sections by McCauley, John F.; Trask, Newell J. USGS Professional Paper: 1348. (online)
  2. ↑ Impact Basin Database
  3. ↑ A. S. Konopliv, A. B. Binder, L. L. Hood, A. B. Kucinskas, W. L. Sjogren, and J. G. Williams (1998). "Improved Gravity Field of the Moon from Lunar Prospector". Science 281 (5382): 1476–1480. doi:10.1126/science.281.5382.1476. PMID 9727968.
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