Giordano Bruno (crater)

Giordano Bruno

Giordano Bruno. NASA photo
Coordinates	35°54′N 102°48′E / 35.9°N 102.8°E / 35.9; 102.8
Diameter	22.13 km
Depth	Unknown
Colongitude	258° at sunrise
Eponym	Giordano Bruno

Giordano Bruno is a 22-kilometre (14 mi) lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the northeastern limb. It lies in an area that can be viewed during a favorable libration, although the area is viewed from the side and not much detail can be seen. It lies between the craters Harkhebi to the northwest and Szilard to the southeast.^[1]

When viewed from orbit, Giordano Bruno is at the center of a symmetrical ray system of ejecta that has a higher albedo than the surrounding surface. The ray material extends for over 150 kilometres (93 mi) and has not been significantly darkened by space erosion. Some of the ejecta appear to extend as far as the crater Boss, over 300 kilometres (190 mi) to the northwest. The outer rim of the crater is especially bright compared to its surroundings. To all appearances, this is a young formation that was created in the relatively recent past, geologically speaking. Based on photos from a lunar orbiter, the crater's age has been estimated at 4 million years.^[2]

This feature was named after Italian intellectual Giordano Bruno.