Birt (crater)

Birt is a lunar impact crater located in the Mare Nubium. It is a relatively small, bowl-shaped crater with a distinct, raised rim and a small, dark halo surrounding it. Its coordinates are 22.4°S 9.1°W, and its diameter is approximately 17 kilometers.

Birt is of interest to lunar observers due to its relatively pristine condition and its prominent central peak, a feature common in larger lunar craters but less frequently observed in craters of this size. The central peak is believed to have formed as a result of the impact event that created the crater, with material rebounding upwards after the initial compression.

The crater is named after the English selenographer William Radcliffe Birt (1804-1881).

To the west of Birt lies a linear rille, designated Rima Birt. This rille is roughly parallel to the Rupes Recta (Straight Wall) located further to the west. The rille is thought to be a graben, a geological feature formed by faulting.