Vesalius (crater)
Encyclopedia
Vesalius is a lunar
impact crater
that lies on the far side of the Moon
, less than 100 kilometers south of the lunar equator. Just to the northwest is the slightly smaller crater Buisson
. Farther to the west-southwest lies the prominent crater Einthoven
.
The outer rim of Vesalius is generally circular but somewhat irregular. There is an outward bulge at the southern extremity and a low rim at the northern end. The inner wall displays some slight terracing. On the interior floor the central peak is offset to the north, suggesting that the crater was formed by a low-angle impact.
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...
impact 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 on the far side 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...
, less than 100 kilometers south of the lunar equator. Just to the northwest is the slightly smaller crater Buisson
Buisson (crater)
Buisson is a lunar crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. Nearly attached to the southeast rim is the crater Vesalius. To the southwest is Einthoven. The rim of this crater is somewhat worn, and is lowest in the north...
. Farther to the west-southwest lies the prominent crater Einthoven
Einthoven (crater)
Einthoven is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It is located beyond the region of the surface that is sometimes brought into view due to libration, and so can not be viewed from the Earth. Einthoven is located to the northeast of the huge walled plain Pasteur.This...
.
The outer rim of Vesalius is generally circular but somewhat irregular. There is an outward bulge at the southern extremity and a low rim at the northern end. The inner wall displays some slight terracing. On the interior floor the central peak is offset to the north, suggesting that the crater was formed by a low-angle impact.
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 Vesalius.| Vesalius | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0.8° S | 116.7° E | 22 km |
| D | 2.2° S | 116.9° E | 50 km |
| G | 3.7° S | 117.3° E | 14 km |
| H | 3.9° S | 119.0° E | 36 km |
| J | 4.8° S | 119.1° E | 25 km |
| M | 5.7° S | 114.5° E | 31 k |