Analysis of lunar craters: A PLS path among impact physics, craterization simulations and image processing

This contribution concerns the training course that the Astrophysics Group of the University of Salento proposed to the students of the Piano Lauree Scientifiche for the school year 2019-2020. Since the first edition of the Piano Lauree Scientifiche - Fisica of the University of Salento, the proposal of the Astrophysics Laboratory has been varied and every year different topics have been addressed, developing new methodologies for a more attractive teaching and a better education guidance. Arousing great interest from students, this year the proposal of the Astrophysics Group was dedicated to Planetology with a direct laboratory experience focused on the simulation and analysis of impact craters. After an introduction on the minor bodies of the Solar System and on the impact crater physics, the students digitally processed images of the Moon's surface with a dedicated software, obtained the necessary information for the subsequent calculation of the involved physical parameters, and finally processed the results, comparing them with those reported in the literature.