Oken (crater)

Last updated
Oken
Oken LROC.jpg
LRO image
Coordinates 43°42′S75°54′E / 43.7°S 75.9°E / -43.7; 75.9
Diameter 72 km
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 286° at sunrise
Eponym Lorenz Oken
Lunar Orbiter 4 image Oken crater 4178 h2.jpg
Lunar Orbiter 4 image

Oken is a lunar impact crater near the southeastern limb of the Moon. It is normally visible from the Earth, but is foreshortened and within the region of the surface that is subject to libration. To the south and east of this feature is the broad, uneven Mare Australe, which extends to the far side of the Moon.

The interior of this crater has become flooded by basaltic lava, producing a nearly level, featureless surface with a low albedo. A number of tiny craterlets mark this surface, particularly in the northwest. The surrounding mountain ring has been eroded by impacts, and is somewhat distorted from a true circular shape. There is a wide bulge in the rim toward the southeast, where the surface is lower and more rugged. Slight bulges also exist to the southwest and northwest. The rim is marked by a number of tiny impacts along the edge, particularly to the southwest.

Satellite craters

Satellite craters Oken sattelite craters map.jpg
Satellite craters
Oblique Apollo 15 image Oken crater AS15-M-2762.jpg
Oblique Apollo 15 image

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

OkenLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A43.2° S71.3° E36 km
E46.1° S78.9° E12 km
F44.4° S71.5° E21 km
L43.1° S78.2° E10 km
M41.8° S75.4° E7 km
N42.4° S74.5° E40 km

References