Gauss is a large lunar impact crater, named after Carl Friedrich Gauss, that is located near the northeastern limb of the Moon's near side. It belongs to a category of lunar formations called a walled plain, meaning that it has a diameter of at least 110 kilometers, with a somewhat sunken floor and little or no central massif. Due to its location, this crater appears considerably foreshortened when viewed from the Earth, and its visibility is affected by libration.
To the northeast of Gauss is Riemann, another walled plain that lies even closer to the limb. Southwest of Gauss is the crater pair of Hahn and Berosus. Almost directly southward is Seneca.
On the lunar geologic timescale, Gauss is one of the largest craters of Nectarian age.
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Sources
External links
- Gaussian Blur, Lunar Photo of the Day, February 16, 2006