Xenophanes (crater)

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Xenophanes
Xenophanes crater 4190 med.jpg
Oblique Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates 57°30′N82°00′W / 57.5°N 82.0°W / 57.5; -82.0 Coordinates: 57°30′N82°00′W / 57.5°N 82.0°W / 57.5; -82.0
Diameter 125 km
Depth 3.2 km
Colongitude 86° at sunrise
Eponym Xenophanes

Xenophanes is a lunar impact crater that is located along the northwestern limb of the Moon. It is nearly attached to Volta, a similar formation to the south-southwest. To the northeast is the smaller crater Cleostratus. Xenophanes is significantly foreshortened when viewed from the Earth, hindering observation.

It is a worn and eroded crater with a battered outer rim that is overlaid by several smaller craters. The rim is a circular range of rugged, irregular ground that is notched in places along the inner wall. A chain of small craters lies along the northern and northeastern rim. At the west end, a pair of clefts in the rim nearly join the floor to the surface beyond. To the northeast, Xenophanes A is an impact crater with a sharp rim and a rough interior.

The interior surface is irregular, but sections have been resurfaced by basaltic lava. A pair of flooded crater rims lie along the southern and northeast sections of the interior. The interior is more level and less rough at the eastern end.

Xenophanes captured with a telescope Xenophanes-lunarcrater.jpg
Xenophanes captured with a telescope

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 Xenophanes.

XenophanesLatitudeLongitudeDiameter
A60.1° N84.8° W42 km
B59.4° N80.5° W15 km
C59.6° N78.7° W8 km
D58.6° N77.4° W12 km
E58.1° N85.8° W12 km
F56.7° N73.2° W24 km
G56.9° N75.7° W7 km
K58.7° N84.5° W13 km
L54.8° N78.6° W21 km
M54.8° N79.6° W9 km

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