![]() Lunar Orbiter 4 image | |
Coordinates | 40°18′S43°18′E / 40.3°S 43.3°E Coordinates: 40°18′S43°18′E / 40.3°S 43.3°E |
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Diameter | 88 km |
Depth | 3.0 km |
Colongitude | 317° at sunrise |
Eponym | Adriaan Metius |
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.
The rim of Metius does not protrude prominently into the surroundings and has an insignificant rampart. A few small craters mar the outer wall, but generally it has a smoothed down appearance that is almost free of terraces. The floor is relatively flat with low central peaks. The most prominent crater on the floor is Metius B, located near the northeast rim.
Metius is a crater of Nectarian age. [1]
The eponym for this crater is the Dutch geometer and astronomer Adriaan Adriaanszoon, who went by the name of Metius. [2]
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Metius.
Metius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
B | 40.1° S | 44.3° E | 14 km |
C | 44.2° S | 49.1° E | 11 km |
D | 42.6° S | 48.4° E | 11 km |
E | 39.7° S | 42.8° E | 6 km |
F | 39.1° S | 42.9° E | 8 km |
G | 40.3° S | 45.3° E | 9 km |
Ammonius is a bowl-shaped lunar impact crater with a slightly raised rim. It is located on the floor of the walled plain Ptolemaeus, about 30 kilometers northeast of the crater midpoint.
Janssen is an ancient impact crater located in the highland region near the southeastern lunar limb. The entire structure has been heavily worn and is marked by many lesser crater impacts. The outer wall is breached in multiple locations, but the outline of the crater rim can still be observed. The wall forms a distinctive hexagonal shape upon the rugged lunar surface, with a slight curvature at the vertices.
Rheita is a lunar impact crater located in the southwestern sector of the Moon. It was named after Czech astronomer and optician Anton Maria Schyrleus of Rheita. It lies to the northeast of the crater Metius, and northwest of Young. The southwestern rim overlies the edge of Vallis Rheita, a long lunar valley stretching for over 200 kilometers on a line running northeast to southwest. At its widest the valley is 25 kilometers wide and a kilometer deep.
Alter is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. It lies to the southwest of the larger crater Robertson, and to the east of Ohm.
Anderson is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It is located to the northwest of the crater Sharonov, and the satellite crater Sharanov X is attached to the southeast rim of Anderson. To the northeast is the peculiar formation Buys-Ballot, and to the east-southeast lies the larger crater Spencer Jones.
Babbage is an ancient lunar impact crater that is located near the northwest limb of the Moon, named after Charles Babbage. It is attached to the southeastern rim of the prominent crater Pythagoras. The crater remnant named South intrudes into the southeastern floor of Babbage.
Bredikhin is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It lies just to the west of the crater Mitra, and northeast of Raimond.
Casatus is a lunar impact crater that is located near the southern limb of the Moon. The north-northeast rim of the crater overlies a portion of the slightly larger crater Klaproth. Along the western rim, Casatus A intrudes somewhat into the interior, producing an inward-bowing rim. To the southeast of Casatus is Newton.
Damoiseau is a lunar impact crater that is located just to the west of the Oceanus Procellarum, in the western part of the Moon's near side. It lies due east of the prominent crater Grimaldi, a walled plain with a distinctive dark floor. Due south of Damoiseau is the crater Sirsalis.
Darwin is a lunar impact crater of the type categorised as a walled plain. It lies in the southeastern part of the Moon, and is sufficiently close to the limb to appear significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth. Attached to its southern rim is Lamarck. To the northeast is the dark-floored crater Crüger.
Wilhelm is a lunar impact crater in the southern part of the Moon, to the west of the prominent Tycho. Portions of the ray material from Tycho lie across the rim and floor of Wilhelm. Attached to its southern rim is the crater Montanari, while Lagalla is attached to the southwest. To the north-northeast is Heinsius.
Young is a lunar impact crater that is located in the rugged southeast part of the Moon's near side. It lies to the east of the crater Metius, and southeast of Rheita. The long Vallis Rheita follows a line tangential to the southwest rim of Rheita, and cuts a wide trough through the southwest floor and outer rim of Young.
Carver is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, due east of the walled plain Van der Waals. To the northeast is the crater Rosseland, and to the south-southeast lies Kozyrev.
Chevallier is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northeastern part of the Moon's near side, about a crater diameter east-southeast of the prominent crater Atlas. To the south-southeast of Chevallier is the flooded crater Shuckburgh.
Dyson is a lunar impact crater, 63 kilometers in diameter, that lies on the far side of the Moon, past the northwest limb. It is located in the northern part of the surface, to the northwest of the crater Coulomb, and east of van't Hoff.
Fourier is a lunar impact crater that is located in the southwestern part of the Moon's near side, just to the southeast of the crater Vieta. To the northeast is the Mare Humorum. The rim of this crater is roughly circular, but appears oval when viewed from the Earth due to foreshortening.
Neander is a lunar impact crater that is located to the south of Mare Nectaris, in the southeastern part of the Moon's near side. It was named after 16th century German mathematician Michael Neander. To the west-northwest lies the prominent crater Piccolomini. The northwestern extension of the Vallis Rheita lunar valley passes about a crater diameter to the west of this formation.
Mallet is a crater on the near side of the Moon. It is located next to the linear valley named Vallis Rheita, in the rugged southeastern quadrant. To the northwest along the same valley formation is the crater Young.
Reimarus is a lunar impact crater, located in the southeastern part of the Moon's near side. The eroded southeastern end of the long Vallis Rheita passes just to the west. To the northeast is the larger and heavily worn crater Vega.
Emden is a lunar impact crater that is located in the northern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. It is named after Jacob Robert Emden (1862-1940).