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South Ray (crater)

South Ray (crater) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand South Ray (crater) rather than just read about it. In short: South Ray crater is a small crater in the Descartes Highlands of the Moon photographed from the lunar surface by the astronauts of Apollo 16. The name of the crater was formally adopted by the IAU in 1973.

South Ray (crater) — main illustration
South Ray (crater) — illustration

Key takeaways

  • South Ray (crater) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect South Ray (crater) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of South Ray (crater) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

South Ray crater is a small crater in the Descartes Highlands of the Moon photographed from the lunar surface by the astronauts of Apollo 16. The name of the crater was formally adopted by the IAU in 1973. The Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) Orion landed between North Ray and South Ray craters on April 21, 1972. The astronauts John Young and Charles Duke explored the area between the craters over the course of three EVAs using a Lunar Roving Vehicle, or rover. They came closest to South Ray on EVA 2, at station 4 (Cinco crater), about 3.9 km south of the landing site. Duke photographed South Ray from there with a 500-mm lens.

South Ray crater is approximately 700 m in diameter and approximately 120 m deep, with a bright system of rays of ejecta. The astronauts observed that the ejecta of South Ray was very bouldery, and reported that it would have been difficult or impossible to drive there on their rover. South Ray cuts into the Cayley Formation of Imbrian age. The crater itself is much younger (Copernican).

References

External links Apollo 16 Traverses, NASA Lunar Photomap 78D2S2(25) John Young at South Ray Crater, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Posted by David Portree on July 5, 2018

Illustrations

South Ray (crater) illustration
South Ray (crater): Topographic map of South Ray based on processing of Apollo 16 panoramic camera images. The dashed line indicates the crater rim.
Topographic map of South Ray based on processing of Apollo 16 panoramic camera images. The dashed line indicates the crater rim.
South Ray (crater): Panorama of South Ray crater from Station 4 (Cinco crater) on Stone Mountain, facing southwest.Charlie Duke said as he was taking the photos of this panorama, "I can see into the rim on the inner wall on the south side. And the characteristics of the thing: it's got black streaks and white streaks coming out of the wall right over the rim, which says to me, there's two types of rocks down there."[3]
Panorama of South Ray crater from Station 4 (Cinco crater) on Stone Mountain, facing southwest.Charlie Duke said as he was taking the photos of this panorama, "I can see into the rim on the inner wall on the south side. And the characteristics of the thing: it's got black streaks and white streaks coming out of the wall right over the rim, which says to me, there's two types of rocks down there."[3]
South Ray (crater): Oblique Apollo 14 image, facing east
Oblique Apollo 14 image, facing east

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with South Ray (crater)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what South Ray (crater) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to South Ray (crater) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about South Ray (crater) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of South Ray (crater)

In research
South Ray (crater) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses South Ray (crater) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
South Ray (crater) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Apollo 16, Impact craters on the Moon, LQ20 quadrangle, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for South Ray (crater) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study South Ray (crater) in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what South Ray (crater) means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain South Ray (crater) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is South Ray (crater) in simple terms?

South Ray crater is a small crater in the Descartes Highlands of the Moon photographed from the lunar surface by the astronauts of Apollo 16. The name of the crater was formally adopted by the IAU in 1973.

Why does South Ray (crater) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study South Ray (crater)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on South Ray (crater).

Tags

  • Apollo 16
  • Impact craters on the Moon
  • LQ20 quadrangle

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