Woltjer (crater)

Last updated
Woltjer lunar crater.jpg
LRO image, with Woltjer below center
Coordinates 44°52′N159°50′W / 44.87°N 159.83°W / 44.87; -159.83
Diameter 44.50 km (27.65 mi)
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 160° at sunrise
Eponym Jan Woltjer

Woltjer is an impact crater that is located in the northern latitudes of the Moon's far side. It is just attached to the southern outer rim of the larger crater Montgolfier. To the southwest is Schneller and to the east is Stoletov. It is named after astronomer Jan Woltjer.

Contents

This is a relatively recent impact compared to most of the craters on the far side, and the rim is still well-formed with little erosion. It is old enough, however, that its albedo matches its surroundings and it lacks a ray system. The inner wall has slumped in places and formed piles of talus along the south. The interior floor has two lines of low ridges that begin in the southeast and curve up to the northwestern inner wall. There is a level patch in the southern floor near the inner wall.

The crater was formally named by the IAU in 1970 after Dutch astronomer Jan Woltjer. [1]

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 Woltjer.

WoltjerLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
P43.4° N161.5° W33 km
T45.1° N164.7° W15 km

References

  1. Woltjer, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Woltjer (lunar crater) at Wikimedia Commons