Lexell (crater)

Lexell
Lexell crater and its satellite craters taken from Earth in 2012 at the University of Hertfordshire's Bayfordbury Observatory with the telescopes Meade LX200 14" and Lumenera Skynyx 2-1
Coordinates35°48′S 4°12′W / 35.8°S 4.2°W / -35.8; -4.2
Diameter63 km
Depth2.2 km
Colongitude5° at sunrise
EponymAnders Johan Lexell

Lexell is a lunar impact crater that lies across the southeastern rim of the huge walled plain Deslandres, in the southern part of the Moon. It was named after Swedish-Russian mathematician and astronomer Anders Johan Lexell.[1] To the northeast is the walled plain Walther, and to the south is Orontius, another walled plain.

This is a somewhat irregular formation with a wide break in the northern rim. The western rim forms a low, arcing wall, and is overlain to the southwest by Lexell H after passing the rim of Deslandres. The rim peaks along the southeast, then comes to an end at a rugged promontory-like ridge. The interior floor has been resurfaced by lava to the northwest and in sections of the remainder of the floor. There are some low rises and ghost-crater rims in the southeast half part of the interior floor.

  1. ^ "Lexell (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.