Galileo Galilei Looking through one of his telescopes, Galileo observed the dark spots on the moon. As the moon revolved, the darkness shifted and new spots appeared. Galileo concluded that the surface of the moon was covered in mountains and valleys (what we now know as craters). This was evidence that the moon was not spherical and definitely not perfect. Drawing by Galileo Information taken from: Eugene Shoemaker In 1965, Shoemaker was made chief scientist for the USGS center of Astrogeology. He organized the geological activities planned for lunar landings. In 1983, Shoemaker, with his wife Caroline, found the first of 32 comets that would be associated with their names. In finding these comets and asteroids, they used a 0.45m-Schmidt telescope. Formation of Lunar Craters 1) Compression Stage: Punches small hole in surface KE (Kinetic Energy) transferred as shock wave Material becomes fluid-like Very little material projected out of impact site Shortest of 3 stages 2. Excavation Stage Grows very large in very short time Shock wave travels to surface and transfers its energy Material is ejected upward in cone shaped form (called ejecta) Ejecta consists of Breccia: different lunar rocks melded together Material dispersed and creates ejecta blanket around crater Lasts longer than Compression Stage (1. Stage) 3. Modification Stage Ejected material slides down crater walls forming terraces and/or central peaks Basically: settling of ejecta from impact Ejecta Blanket Raised Rim Ejecta Infall (breccia) Melt Slumped Block Ejecta Blanket Impact Fractures Central Peak NASA Breccia of cemented regolith NASA 1 mm NASA MORE INFORMATION Do the size, mass, velocity, and angle with which meteors strike the moon determine the shape, size, and complexity of lunar craters? We predict that the size, mass, and velocity of the meteor affect the size (diameter and depth) of the lunar craters. We also predict that the angles at which the meteors strike the moon determine the shape (elliptical or circular) of the lunar craters. We propose that those meteors with a higher velocity and greater mass will result in deeper and more complex craters upon impact with the moon. OUR RESULTS CRATER DEPTH IN RELATION TO STARTING POSITION CRATER DEPTH IN RELATION TO CRATER SHAPE CRATER DEPTH IN RELATION TO THE OBJECT THROWN CRATER DIAMETER IN RELATION TO THE OBJECT THROWN VELOCITY OF OBJECT IN RELATION TO SHAPE OF CRATER