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Xenophanes (crater)

Coordinates: 57°30′N 82°00′W / 57.5°N 82.0°W / 57.5; -82.0
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Xenophanes
Oblique Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates57°30′N 82°00′W / 57.5°N 82.0°W / 57.5; -82.0
Diameter125 km
Depth3.2 km
Colongitude86° at sunrise
EponymXenophanes

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

Satellite craters

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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.

Xenophanes Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 60.1° N 84.8° W 42 km
B 59.4° N 80.5° W 15 km
C 59.6° N 78.7° W 8 km
D 58.6° N 77.4° W 12 km
E 58.1° N 85.8° W 12 km
F 56.7° N 73.2° W 24 km
G 56.9° N 75.7° W 7 km
K 58.7° N 84.5° W 13 km
L 54.8° N 78.6° W 21 km
M 54.8° N 79.6° W 9 km

References

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  • Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
  • Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature". USGS. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
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  • McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
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  • Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
  • Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.
  • Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
  • Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.