Wilhelm (crater)
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm is a lunar
crater
in the southern part of the Moon
, to the west of the prominent Tycho
. Portions of the ray material
from Tycho lie across the rim and floor of Wilhelm. Attached to its southern rim is the crater Montanari
, while Lagalla
is attached to the southwest. To the north-northeast is Heinsius
.
This crater is of the type traditionally termed a walled plain. It has a heavily eroded outer rim that is overlain by several smaller craters. Among these are Wilhelm A and Wilhelm K across the southwest rim, and Wilhelm B just to the northwest along the western rim. Wilhelm C intrudes into the north-northeast rim, and Wilhelm D is attached to the northeast outer rim. There is an outward protrusion in the southern rim that extends to contact Montanari.
The interior floor of Wilhelm is relatively level, with a rougher area to the northeast. The remainder is flat and almost featureless except for a few tiny craterlets.
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...
in the southern 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...
, to the west of the prominent Tycho
Tycho (crater)
Tycho is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the southern lunar highlands, named after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe . To the south is the crater Street; to the east is Pictet, and to the north-northeast is Sasserides. The surface around Tycho is replete with craters of various sizes,...
. Portions of the ray material
Ray system
A ray system comprises radial streaks of fine ejecta thrown out during the formation of an impact crater, looking a bit like many thin spokes coming from the hub of a wheel. The rays can extend for lengths up to several times the diameter of their originating crater, and are often accompanied by...
from Tycho lie across the rim and floor of Wilhelm. Attached to its southern rim is the crater Montanari
Montanari (crater)
Montanari is a lunar crater. It is located to the west-southwest of the prominent ray crater Tycho, and is attached to the southern rim of the walled plain Wilhelm...
, while Lagalla
Lagalla (crater)
Lagalla is the remnant of a lunar crater. Wilhelm partly overlies the northeastern rim, and Montanari is attached to the southeast. The remainder of the rim is heavily eroded, with small craters overlaying sections along most of the sides. The rim is nearly nonexistent to the south, and the most...
is attached to the southwest. To the north-northeast is Heinsius
Heinsius (crater)
Heinsius is an eroded lunar crater that lies in the southwestern part of the Moon. It is located to the northwest of the prominent crater Tycho, and rays from that formation pass to the north and south of Heinsius as well as marking the rim and interior with material...
.
This crater is of the type traditionally termed a walled plain. It has a heavily eroded outer rim that is overlain by several smaller craters. Among these are Wilhelm A and Wilhelm K across the southwest rim, and Wilhelm B just to the northwest along the western rim. Wilhelm C intrudes into the north-northeast rim, and Wilhelm D is attached to the northeast outer rim. There is an outward protrusion in the southern rim that extends to contact Montanari.
The interior floor of Wilhelm is relatively level, with a rougher area to the northeast. The remainder is flat and almost featureless except for a few tiny craterlets.
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 Wilhelm.| Wilhelm | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 44.6° S | 22.0° W | 20 km |
| B | 43.5° S | 22.8° W | 19 km |
| C | 41.6° S | 19.5° W | 15 km |
| D | 41.8° S | 17.7° W | 32 km |
| E | 44.1° S | 17.9° W | 14 km |
| F | 42.4° S | 23.1° W | 9 km |
| G | 42.5° S | 25.9° W | 17 km |
| H | 42.5° S | 23.8° W | 7 km |
| J | 41.5° S | 26.2° W | 19 km |
| K | 44.1° S | 21.7° W | 21 km |
| L | 40.4° S | 22.1° W | 9 km |
| M | 44.0° S | 17.3° W | 9 km |
| N | 43.7° S | 18.5° W | 7 km |
| O | 43.1° S | 17.2° W | 17 km |
| P | 40.9° S | 20.5° W | 12 km |
| Q | 43.2° S | 18.4° W | 8 km |
| R | 41.3° S | 21.9° W | 7 km |
| S | 41.7° S | 21.7° W | 10 km |
| T | 41.3° S | 20.9° W | 8 km |
| U | 41.4° S | 20.4° W | 5 km |
| V | 43.9° S | 19.5° W | 8 km |
| W | 42.5° S | 20.3° W | 5 km |
| X | 40.9° S | 19.9° W | 12 km |
| Y | 44.5° S | 20.9° W | 5 km |
| Z | 44.8° S | 20.3° W | 8 km |