Magelhaens (lunar crater)
Encyclopedia
Magelhaens is a lunar
crater
that lies along the southwestern edge of the Mare Fecunditatis
, in the eastern part of the Moon
's near side. It lies to the south-southwest of the crater Goclenius
, about midway between Gutenberg
to the northwest and Colombo
to the southeast.
This crater has a somewhat slender and uneven outer rim that is only roughly circular. The slightly smaller satellite crater Magelhaens A is attached to the southeastern rim. Within the inner walls of Magelhaens, the interior floor has been resurfaced by basalt
ic lava
, matching the same dark appearance as the lunar mare
to the northeast. This floor is level and almost featureless.
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
that lies along the southwestern edge of the Mare Fecunditatis
Mare Fecunditatis
Mare Fecunditatis is a lunar mare which is 840 km in diameter. The Fecuditatis basin formed in the Pre-Nectarian epoch, while the basin material surrounding the mare is of the...
, in the eastern part of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
's near side. It lies to the south-southwest of the crater Goclenius
Goclenius (crater)
Goclenius is a lunar crater that is located near the west edge of Mare Fecunditatis. It lies to the southeast of the lava-flooded crater Gutenberg, and north of Magelhaens. To the northwest is a parallel rille system that follow a course toward the northwest, running for a length of up to 240...
, about midway between Gutenberg
Gutenberg (crater)
Gutenberg is a lunar crater that lies along the west edge of Mare Fecunditatis, in the eastern part of the visible Moon. To the southeast is the crater Goclenius, and to the southeast are Magelhaens and Colombo...
to the northwest and Colombo
Colombo (crater)
Colombo is a lunar impact crater that lies on the strip of rough continental terrain between Mare Fecunditatis to the east and Mare Nectaris in the west. It is located to the south of the crater Goclenius, and northwest of Cook....
to the southeast.
This crater has a somewhat slender and uneven outer rim that is only roughly circular. The slightly smaller satellite crater Magelhaens A is attached to the southeastern rim. Within the inner walls of Magelhaens, the interior floor has been resurfaced by basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
, matching the same dark appearance as the lunar mare
Lunar mare
The lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were dubbed maria, Latin for "seas", by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich compositions, and...
to the northeast. This floor is level and almost featureless.
Satellite craters
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Magelhaens.Magelhaens | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
---|---|---|---|
A | 12.6° S | 45.0° E | 32 km |