Messier crater on the Moon

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Messier crater on the Moon is a distinctive, elongated lunar impact crater in Mare Fecunditatis, notable for its unusual shape and bright ray system.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Messier (lunar crater) 0

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf lunar impact crater
named lunar surface feature
albedoContrast high against Mare Fecunditatis
bestSeenAt low Sun angle
catalogInclusion listed in standard lunar crater catalogs
colongitude 304
coordinateSystem selenographic coordinates
depth ~2.0 km
diameter ~11 km
discovery visible since early telescopic observations
elongationDirection east–west
floorAlbedo high
formationProcess oblique impact
geologicalContext Mare basalt surface
hasCompanionCrater Messier A (lunar crater) NERFINISHED
hasEjecta highly directional ejecta blanket
hemisphere eastern lunar hemisphere
IAUNameStatus approved
interior relatively smooth floor
length ~11 km
locatedIn Mare Fecunditatis NERFINISHED
lunar near side
locatedOn Moon NERFINISHED
lunarMareAssociation Mare Fecunditatis ray crater
morphologicalType impact crater
namedAfter Charles Messier NERFINISHED
neighboringFeature Mare Fecunditatis basalt plains
Messier A (lunar crater) NERFINISHED
observationalInterest popular target for amateur astronomers
observationWavelength visible light
quadrant lunar near-side southeast quadrant
rayBrightness high relative to surrounding mare
rayOrientation westward
rayPairAssociation Messier–Messier A ray system NERFINISHED
raySystem asymmetric
bright
rimCondition sharp
scientificInterest example of oblique impact dynamics
selenographicLatitude 1.9° S
selenographicLongitude 47.6° E
shape elongated
surfaceAge relatively young Copernican-age feature
surfaceFeatureType crater with rays
surfaceTexture fresh, relatively uneroded morphology
visibilityFromEarth easily observable with small telescopes
width ~8 km

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Charles Messier astronomicalObjectNamedAfter Messier crater on the Moon