What is the probable origin of most craters on the Moon?
Craters on the Moon are caused by asteroids and meteorites colliding with the lunar surface. The Moon's surface is covered with thousands of craters.
What is the origin of large craters on Earth?
Scientists believe (opens in new tab) that a meteor traveling at speeds of up to 25 miles per second (40 km per second) slammed into Earth 142 million years ago, creating a giant crater nearly 14 miles (22 km) wide according to NASA Earth Observatory.
When were most of the craters on the Moon formed?
Moon Animation Shows Major Lunar Craters Formed Over 1.3 Billion Years.
Where do craters come from?
A crater is a bowl-shaped depression, or hollowed-out area, produced by the impact of a meteorite, volcanic activity, or an explosion. Craters produced by the collision of a meteorite with the Earth (or another planet or moon) are called impact craters.
How were the lunar highlands craters formed?
These meteorites formed from fragmental debris near the surface of the Moon. The lunar highlands represent the ancient lunar crust that has been gardened extensively by meteoritic bombardment, particularly during the early period of intense bombardment around 3.9 Ga ago, resulting in extensive brecciation.
What is the origin of the lunar maria?
Planetary Satellites, Natural The result was the melting and eruption of basaltic lava onto the lunar surface between 3.8 to about 2.8 billion years ago to form the lunar maria. This lava was highly fluid under the weaker gravitational field of the Moon and spread over vast distances.
How are lunar craters formed?
These craters formed when rocks or comets from space smashed into the surface of the Moon. The impact was so powerful that it pulverized the ground – creating what we call regolith – and sprayed it out to form those ejecta rays.
What is the origin of large craters on Earth such as Meteor Crater in Arizona?
One of the best-known craters on Earth is Meteor Crater, near Winslow, Arizona. The crater was created instantly when a 50-meter (164-foot), 150,000-ton meteorite slammed into the desert about 50,000 years ago.
What formed Craters of the Moon?
Volcanic activity occurred on the Snake River Plain for many millions of years. But Craters of the Moon was formed by eruptions that started only 15,000 years ago and represents the last period of active volcanism in this area. The most recent activity occurred 2,100 years ago.
Where are the most craters on the Moon?
South Pole–Aitken basin The South Pole–Aitken basin (SPA Basin, /ˈeɪtkɪn/) is an immense impact crater on the far side of the Moon. At roughly 2,500 km (1,600 mi) in diameter and between 6.2 and 8.2 km (3.9–5.1 mi) deep, it is one of the largest known impact craters in the Solar System.
How do craters form quizlet?
Craters form from the impact of rapidly moving debris. How did Maria originate? Maria originated when asteroids punctured the lunar surface, letting magma bleed out, forming extensive lava flows.
What are the lunar highlands made of?
The maria are composed predominantly of basalt, whereas the highland regions are iron-poor and composed primarily of anorthosite, a rock composed primarily of calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar.
How did the lunar highlands form quizlet?
How did the lunar highlands form? As the molten Moon gradually solidified, lower-density rock floated to the surface and ultimately became the lunar highlands.
Where did the moons of the giant planets most likely originate?
Where did these moons likely originate? The giant planets have the most moons, especially Jupiter and Saturn. Many of them are thought to have been captured from the small-body population during the formation of the solar system.
What caused the craters maria and other surface features of the Moon?
– The rocky remains that floated on top transformed into the moon's highlands – Also formed by volcanic activity. – Volcanic substances leaked through the crust from the lunar interior…. – Lava flows flooded and covered many craters in its path, thus forming the lunar maria. How old are they?
What is lunar crater?
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.
Where did the Moon come from?
The prevailing theory supported by the scientific community, the giant impact hypothesis suggests that the moon formed when an object smashed into early Earth. Like the other planets, Earth formed from the leftover cloud of dust and gas orbiting the young sun.
Why are there so many craters in Arizona?
But massive space rocks occasionally hit land. That was the case 50,000 years ago when an iron asteroid smashed into North America and left a gaping hole in what is today northern Arizona. Meteor Crater (also called Barringer Meteor Crater) is located between Flagstaff and Winslow on the Colorado Plateau.
Where did the rocks of the Moon originate quizlet?
Where did the rocks of the Moon originate? The rocks were once part of Earth. Venus was once called "Earth's twin" because the two planets share many features.
What created the Craters of the Moon in Idaho?
Volcanic activity occurred on the Snake River Plain for many millions of years. But Craters of the Moon was formed by eruptions that started only 15,000 years ago and represents the last period of active volcanism in this area. The most recent activity occurred 2,100 years ago.
What are the craters on the Moon called?
Lunar craters are impact craters on Earth's Moon. The Moon's surface has many craters, all of which were formed by impacts.
Why there are so many craters on Moon surface?
One reason the moon has craters because it gets hit by objects, small pieces of rocks that come from outer space. These are pieces of asteroids, comets that are flying around in the solar system. When they hit the surface, there's an impact. The moon has no atmosphere, and so even a tiny rock will create a crater.
How many lunar craters are there?
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.
How did most lunar craters and maria form?
The maria basins were formed beginning about 3.9 billion years ago during a period of intense bombardment by asteroid-sized bodies. This was well after the lunar crust had cooled and solidified enough, following the Moon's formation, to retain large impact scars.
What formed the craters on the moon quizlet?
Meteorites, asteroids , and comets striking the Moon's surface created most of these craters, which formed early in the Moon's history. Upon impact, cracks may have formed in the Moon's crust, allowing lava to reach the surface and fill up the large craters. You just studied 4 terms!
How are craters formed on the Moon?
These craters formed when rocks or comets from space smashed into the surface of the Moon. The impact was so powerful that it pulverized the ground – creating what we call regolith – and sprayed it out to form those ejecta rays. You can make craters like those on the Moon using simple baking ingredients!
How did the lunar highlands form?
The lunar highlands represent the ancient lunar crust that has been gardened extensively by meteoritic bombardment, particularly during the early period of intense bombardment around 3.9 Ga ago, resulting in extensive brecciation.
Why are there more craters in the lunar highlands than in the maria quizlet?
The highlands are much older than the maria and are much more heavily cratered. How do we know that the highlands are older? Radioactive dating and it because the highlands are more cratered than the maria.
Where did these moons likely originate?
Where did these moons likely originate? The giant planets have the most moons, especially Jupiter and Saturn. Many of them are thought to have been captured from the small-body population during the formation of the solar system. 4.
How was Craters of the Moon formed?
Volcanic activity occurred on the Snake River Plain for many millions of years. But Craters of the Moon was formed by eruptions that started only 15,000 years ago and represents the last period of active volcanism in this area. The most recent activity occurred 2,100 years ago.