Lander (crater)

Lander
Apollo 15 Mapping Camera image
Coordinates15°18′S 131°48′E / 15.3°S 131.8°E / -15.3; 131.8
Diameter40 km
Depth3.0 km
Colongitude229° at sunrise
EponymRichard L. Lander

Lander is a lunar impact crater that is located just to the north-northeast of the prominent Tsiolkovskiy, on the far side of the Moon.

Attached to the northeastern rim of Lander is Volkov J, which is joined with Volkov to the north. Just to the southeast of Lander is Patsaev. Lander cannot be seen directly from the Earth, and must be observed from orbit. This is a worn and eroded crater formation, with features that have become poorly defined and softened due to subsequent impacts and possibly some overlap of ejecta from Tsiolkovskiy and other sources. The inner rim is wider and has a gentler slope along the eastern side. The interior floor is relatively level, but contains some low rises. Only a few tiny craterlets dot the rim and interior of this formation.