Gibbs (crater)
Gibbs is a lunar impact crater that lies near the eastern limb of the Moon. It is situated less than a crater diameter to the northeast of the larger crater Hecataeus. The crater chain Catena Humboldt passes to the south of Gibbs, following a line to the northeast. Due to its proximity to the limb, this crater appears foreshortened when viewed from the Earth, and visibility is subject to libration.
DescriptionEdit
The outer rim of Gibbs is not quite circular, and an outward bulge to the north gives it an onion-like profile. The southeastern wall is slightly straightened and there is a low break in the rim at the southern and northern ends. In other respects, however, the rim is only slightly eroded. The interior floor is nearly level in the southwestern half, with irregular ridges to the northeast. There is a small craterlet to the northwest of the midpoint.
EtymologyEdit
The crater was named after Josiah W. Gibbs by the IAU in 1964.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The crater Mirzakhani was named to honor Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani, in 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Nearby featuresEdit
A recent small impact along the northeastern rim, Mirzakhani, has produced a small ray system that forms a skirt of higher albedo material across this part of the rim. Faint traces from these rays cover the interior floor of Gibbs.
The area around the Mirzakhani impact is characterised by an extremely high rockfall density by lunar standards.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Rp
The satellite crater Gibbs D has a diameter of Template:Convert and is located at 13.1° S, 85.9° E.
ImageryEdit
- Rim of Gibbs crater AS15-81-10920.jpg
Oblique closeup of the recent small impact on the north rim of Gibbs, from Apollo 15
- Gibbs crater AS17-P-3152.jpg
Oblique view from Apollo 17
- Gibbs D crater AS15-M-1883.jpg
Gibbs D from Apollo 15
See alsoEdit
- 2937 Gibbs, asteroid
ReferencesEdit
Template:Reflist Template:Refbegin
- Template:Cite book
- {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}