November 15, 2012

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Naughty Rays

LPOD-Nov15-12.jpg
image by Howard Eskildsen, Ocala, Florida

If ever a lettered crater deserved a name it was Olbers A, the magnificent 43 km wide rayed crater known since 1993 as Glushko. Rays from Glushko extend toward the farside and across Oceanus Procellarum. Especially famous is the ray that curves between Cardanus and Seleucus. Rather than bemoan our failure to understand the exact ejection mechanics that produced the odd ray we should just accept it, just as we do tangential rays, and marvel at the amazing complexity of impact cratering. A high Sun, overhead view - courtesy of Clementine, reveals that Glushko was formed by a low angle oblique impact for there are few rays to the NNW or SSE. Just looking at the ray distribution it is hard to determine which direction the projectile came from, but radar reveals splashes of impact melt to the NNW, suggesting that the projectile came from the opposite direction and transferred its momentum to the melt.

Chuck Wood

Related Links
Rükl plate 28

Yesterday's LPOD: A Long Cool One

Tomorrow's LPOD: Crescent Sun



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