MOON’S CRATERS CAPTURED BY CHANDRAYAAN 2

 

For: Mains

Topics covered:

• What are Moon’s craters?
• How are craters on the moon named?
• About Chandrayaan 2 mission

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News Flash

Chandrayaan 2, which is currently orbiting around the moon, has captured several images of Jackson, Mach, Korolev and Mitra craters.

• The names of these craters have been named after scientists, astronomers and physicists.
• These pictures of the lunar surface were taken on August 23 by the Terrain Mapping Camera-2 of Chandrayaan-2 from an altitude of about 4,375 km.

 

Jackson crater

Jackson is an impact crater located in the northern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon.  It is 71 km in diameter.

 

Mitra crater

It has 92 km diameter. Mach crater is named after Professor Sisir Kumar Mitra, who was an Indian physicist and Padma Bhushan recipient known for his pioneering work in the field of ionosphere and Radiophysics.

 

Korolev crater

The Korolev crater is 437 km in diameter and has several small craters of varying sizes.

 

Kirkwood crater

It is named after American astronomer Daniel Kirkwood, is 68 km in diameter.

 

Sommerfeld

Sommerfeld is a large impact crater located in the farside northern latitudes of the Moon of 169km diameter.

 

What are lunar craters?

Lunar craters are circular depression on the surface of the moon. Craters on the moon are caused by asteroids and meteorites colliding with the lunar surface.

 

How are craters on the moon named?

• Craters constitute 95% of all named lunar features.  Usually, they are named after deceased scientists and other explorers.
• This tradition comes from Giovanni Battista Riccioli, who started it in 1651. Since 1919, the assignment of these names is regulated by the International Astronomical Union.
• Typically, members of an appropriate IAU task group suggest names when the first images of the surface of a planet or satellite is obtained but as higher resolution images become available, a specific name is recommended.
• The suggested names are reviewed by the task force which submits it to the Working Group to take a final call based on votes.

 

 

Chandrayaan 2

• Chandrayaan 2 was launched from Earth on July 22.
• It is a second lunar expedition that will shed light on a completely unexplored section of the moon – its South Polar region.
• On September 7, Lander Vikram will soft-land in the South polar region of the moon.
• Chandrayaan-2 will study the presence of water on the Moon.
• Chandrayaan-2 will make India only the fourth country in the world to land a rover on the Moon and the only country in the world to do perform a ‘soft landing’ near the south pole of the Moon.
• The southern polar region of the Moon has not received sunlight for billions of years, increasing the possibility of finding water under the surface of the Moon.

 

Source: Business Today

 

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