Kuiper (lunar crater)

This article is about the crater on the Moon. For other craters named Kuiper, see Kuiper (disambiguation).
Kuiper
Apollo 16 image
Coordinates9°48′S 22°42′W / 9.8°S 22.7°W / -9.8; -22.7
Diameter7 km
Depth1.3 km
Colongitude23° at sunrise
EponymGerard P. Kuiper

Kuiper (/ˈkaɪpər/ KY-pər) is a small lunar impact crater in a relatively featureless part of the Mare Cognitum. It is a circular, cup-shaped feature with only some minor wear. It was named after Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper in 1976.[1] Kuiper was the Project Scientist for the Ranger program. This crater was previously identified as Bonpland E. The lava-flooded crater Bonpland lies to the east at the edge of the Mare Cognitum.

To the east-southeast of Kuiper crater is the crash landing site of the Ranger 7 probe, the first American spacecraft to photograph the Moon.

  1. ^ "Kuiper (lunar crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.