Goldschmidt (crater)

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Goldschmidt
Goldschmidt crater 4116 h2.jpg
Lunar Orbiter 4 image of Goldschmidt, also showing Anaxagoras at left
Coordinates 73°00′N3°48′W / 73.0°N 3.8°W / 73.0; -3.8 Coordinates: 73°00′N3°48′W / 73.0°N 3.8°W / 73.0; -3.8
Diameter 113 km
Depth 2.0 km
Colongitude 3° at sunrise
Eponym Hermann Goldschmidt
Oblique view from Lunar Orbiter 4 Goldschmidt Anaxagoras craters 4191 h1.jpg
Oblique view from Lunar Orbiter 4

Goldschmidt is a large lunar impact crater of the variety commonly termed a walled plain. It lies in the northern part of the Moon's near side, and appears oval in shape due to foreshortening. The rim is actually relatively circular, although the western rim is overlain by the prominent crater Anaxagoras. Nearly attached to the southeast rim is Barrow, and the two formations are separated by a rugged rise about 30 kilometers across. Further to the south is Epigenes.

The heavily eroded outer rim of Goldschmidt is rugged and irregular, with an inner wall that is incised in several locations by small impacts. Much of the western rim no longer exists, due to the overlapping Anaxagoras and the smaller Anaxagoras A, and the ejecta from these formations covers the western third of the interior floor. The remaining floor is nearly level and flat, most likely having been resurfaced by lava flows. However the surface is now pock-marked by a multitude of tiny craterlets, the most prominent being the small Goldschmidt A.

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Goldschmidt.

GoldschmidtLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A72.5° N2.5° W7 km
B70.6° N6.7° W10 km
C71.1° N6.0° W7 km
D75.3° N7.7° W14 km

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Anaxagoras (crater)

Anaxagoras is a young lunar impact crater that is located near the north pole of the Moon. It lies across the larger and more heavily worn crater Goldschmidt. To the south-southeast is Epigenes, and due south is the worn remains of Birmingham.

Metius (crater)

Metius is a lunar impact crater located in the rugged highlands to the southeast of the Moon's near side. To the southwest the rim is attached to the crater Fabricius. Offset to the west-northwest is the heavily worn crater Brenner. Further away to the northeast is the crater Rheita and the long gorge Vallis Rheita.

Hippalus (crater)

Hippalus is the remnant of a lunar impact crater on the eastern edge of Mare Humorum. It was named after ancient Greek explorer Hippalus. To the southeast is the crater Campanus, and to the northwest is the small flooded crater Loewy.

La Caille (crater)

La Caille is a lunar impact crater located in the rugged south-central highlands of the Moon. It was named after the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille. It is located to the northeast of the crater Purbach. Nearly attached to the southeast rim are the remains of Blanchinus, and the two are separated by a rugged stretch of terrain. To the northeast is Delaunay, a formation split in half by a ridge.

Barrow (crater) Lunar impact crater

Barrow is an old lunar impact crater that is located near the northern limb of the Moon. It lies between the crater Goldschmidt to the northwest and the irregular formation Meton to the northeast. To the southwest is W. Bond.

Hase (crater)

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Heaviside (lunar crater)

Heaviside is a large lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It is attached to the eastern rim of the equally large walled plain Keeler, although Keeler is somewhat less eroded. To the northwest lies the crater Stratton, and to the southeast is the prominent Aitken.

Komarov (crater)

Komarov is a lunar impact crater that lies across the southeastern edge of Mare Moscoviense, on the northern hemisphere of the far side of the Moon. It is a complex feature with an irregular appearance.

Huggins (lunar crater) Lunar impact crater

Huggins is a lunar impact crater that lies in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon's near side. It was named after British astronomer Sir William Huggins in 1935.

Klaproth (crater)

Klaproth is an old lunar impact crater that lies in the rugged southern highlands of the Moon's near side. Due to its location, this crater appears significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth. The southern rim of the crater is overlain by the similar-sized crater Casatus, and to the north-northeast lies Blancanus.

Philolaus (crater)

Philolaus is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northern part of the Moon's near side. It lies within one crater diameter to the east-southeast of the flooded crater Anaximenes, and to the west of the smaller Anaxagoras. It overlies the older and heavily worn Philolaus C to the south.

Lexell (crater) Lunar impact crater in the southern part of the Moon

Lexell is a lunar impact crater that lies across the southeastern rim of the huge walled plain Deslandres, in the southern part of the Moon. It was named after Swedish-Russian mathematician and astronomer Anders Johan Lexell. To the northeast is the walled plain Walther, and to the south is Orontius, another walled plain.

Golitsyn (crater)

Golitsyn is a lunar impact crater that lies beyond the western limb on the far side of the Moon. It is located in the southwestern portion of the Montes Rook mountain range that forms one of the rings around the Mare Orientale impact site. The crater is situated in the midst of rugged, irregular terrain that contains only a handful of other significant craters.

Hecataeus (crater)

Hecataeus is a large lunar impact crater that lies near the eastern limb of the Moon. It is attached to the northern rim of the walled plain Humboldt. To the northeast is the smaller crater Gibbs. East of Hecataeus is a chain of small craters forming a line radial to Humboldt; these are designated the Catena Humboldt, named after the walled plain.

Mouchez (crater)

Mouchez is the remnant of a lunar impact crater that is located near the northern limb of the Moon, to the north of Philolaus and northwest of Anaxagoras.

Gauricus (crater)

Gauricus is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southern part of the Moon's near side. It was named after Italian astronomer Luca Gaurico. Nearly attached to the western rim is the heavily eroded crater Wurzelbauer, and to the north-northwest lies Pitatus.

Nonius (crater)

Nonius is a lunar impact crater. It is located in the rugged southern highlands on the Moon's near side. It was named after 16th century Portuguese mathematician Pedro Nunes, Latinized as Nonius. The northwestern side and about half the interior floor are overlain by the rim and outer rampart of the walled plain Walther. About half its diameter to the southeast is the smaller crater Kaiser, and slightly farther to the south lies Fernelius.

Wurzelbauer (crater)

Wurzelbauer is the remnant of a lunar impact crater. It was named after German astronomer Johann Philipp von Wurzelbauer. It is located in the rugged terrain on the Moon's southern hemisphere. The slightly smaller crater Gauricus lies next to the eastern rim, while to the north-northeast is Pitatus.

Spallanzani (lunar crater)

Spallanzani is a lunar impact crater located in the rugged, crater-marked terrain of the Moon's southern hemisphere. It was named after Italian natural scientist and biologist Lazzaro Spallanzani. To the southeast is the prominent crater Pitiscus, and to the north is Nicolai.

Van der Waals (crater)

Van der Waals is a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon. It is a heavily eroded feature with an irregular outer rim. The edge is lowest along the southern side where it is little more than a circular crest along the ground. It is more developed along the northern side, but the rim is notched and rugged. The satellite crater Van der Waals W is attached to the exterior of the northeast, and Van der Waals H intrudes into the rim along the southeast. The interior floor is relatively even and featureless, with only a few tiny craterlets to mark the surface.

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