Cyrillus (crater)

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The lunar crater Cyrillus is a circular depression in the floor of the Moon near the visible moon center. He - like many so-called Ring Mountain - a high annular wall ( crater rim ), but which is severely eroded and will cut anything from the adjacent crater Theophilus. In the center of the crater are the remains of some of the central mountains.

Cyril forms with Theophilus and Catharina a characteristic triad, which is approximately 2 days before the waxing half moon at the shadow boundary and therefore particularly prominent. Named the ring mountains to the North African bishop St. Cyril ( Cyril of Alexandria, † 444), the successor of Theophilus.

Its diameter is 95 km, its Wall height is about 4-5 km. Like almost all lunar crater he created by the impact of a large meteorite that gave had a diameter of about 5 km is. By escaping the explosion material, the bottom of the crater is slightly lower than the surroundings.

In selenographic coordinates specified, Cyrillus is between 12-15 ° south latitude and 22-26 ° west longitude. The inner slope of his Walles has - as Theofilus - terraces on what the twin crater at grazing light to the most beautiful, makes in a four - to eight- inch telescope moon observable objects.