Kopff (crater)
At one time this crater was considered to have formed due to volcanic activity, in contrast to most lunar craters which are considered to have been created through impacts. However it is more likely that the crater was formed by an impact against a surface that was still partly molten. This has left the crater with a sharp-edged, circular rim and a flat, dark-hued interior floor. Indeed, the albedo of the interior floor matches that of the lunar mare to the west. The southeast part of the floor is fractured with a series of narrow rilles. The floor along the northwest and northeast edges is more rugged, and these sections have escaped the lava that covered the remainder of the floor.
The crater was named after German astronomer August Kopff by the IAU in 1970.
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 Kopff.
Kopff | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
B | 16.9° S | 86.2° W | 8 km |
C | 18.3° S | 86.1° W | 14 km |
D | 19.9° S | 89.8° W | 13 km |
E | 16.0° S | 89.8° W | 12 km |
The following craters have been renamed by the IAU.
- Kopff A — See Lallemand.
References
- ^ The moon as viewed by lunar orbiter, 1970, NASA SP-200 by L. J. Kosofsky, Farouk El-Baz
- ^ "Kopff (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
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