Lunar craters are impact craters on Earth 's Moon. The Moon's surface has many craters, all of which were formed by impacts. The International Astronomical Union currently recognizes 9,137 craters, of which 1,675 have been dated. [1] The word crater was adopted from the Greek word for "vessel" (Κρατήρ, a Greek vessel used to mix wine and water).

Apr 23, 2020 · Why Does the Moon Have Craters? An asteroid or meteor is more likely to hit Earth because Earth is a lot bigger than the Moon, giving a meteoroid more area to hit! But we can see many thousands of craters on the Moon and we only know of about 180 on Earth!

Mar 28, 2025 · Lunar impact craters are the depressions left behind after an asteroid, meteoroid, or comet collides with the Moon. Though craters are visible on worlds throughout the solar system, lunar craters are special because we can see them close-up, and the relative lack of erosion and other surface processes on the Moon keep them well-preserved.

Where a formation has associated satellite craters, these are detailed on the main crater description pages. Lunar craters are listed alphabetically on the following partial lists: Locations and diameters of some prominent craters on the near side of the Moon: ^ "Using the Moon as a mirror — Hubble to watch transit of Venus in reflected light".

Jan 4, 2019 · Moon craters are bowl-shaped landforms created by two processes: volcanism and cratering. There are hundreds of thousands of moon craters ranging from less than a mile across to giant basins called mare, which were once thought to be seas.

Mar 18, 2025 · The study of lunar craters tells us much about problems astronauts may encounter when human beings return to the Moon. Scientists analyzing before and after pictures taken by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter found new craters forming on the Moon at a rate 33 percent higher than expected.

Explore an interactive Moon map featuring detailed views of craters, seas, and highlands. Discover key lunar landmarks and learn about the Moon's surface with this comprehensive guide.

5 days ago · Given the heavily-craters surface of the Moon, they could have arrived from an impacting body from elsewhere in the Solar System, or beyond. However, humans have also sent a number of spacecraft that have impacted the lunar surface, including the Ranger spacecraft that occurred leading up to the Apollo missions, but these spacecraft crashed ...

In this article, we delve into the ten largest craters on the moon, each named after famous astronomers and mathematicians, and explore their unique characteristics and cultural and scientific significance.

Aug 3, 2013 · Simple craters form when small meteorites strike the moon at high velocities. The bolide is vaporized along with the surface struck (the target). This vaporized rock is injected into the floor of the crater, and follows the release wave to escape outside where it …