Marius (crater)

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Crater characteristics
Coordinates 11.9° N, 50.8° W
Diameter 41 km
Depth 1.7 km
Colongitude   50° at sunrise
Eponym Simon Marius

Marius is a lunar crater located on the Oceanus Procellarum. The surface to the west and north of this crater contains a large number of lunar domes spread across an area over a hundred kilometers in diameter. The nearest named crater feature is Reiner to the southwest. Kepler crater is located to the east-southeast, and rays from that formation reach the rim of Maurius.

The floor of Marius crater has been flooded by basaltic lava, and the surface is relatively smooth and flat. There is no central rise, but a small craterlet 'Marius G' lies in the northeast part of the floor. The crater rim is low and generally circular in form.

The area of this crater was one of the locations proposed for an Apollo mission, but was subsequently cancelled. About 50 kilometers to the southeast was the landing site of the Luna 7 probe.

[edit] 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 Marius crater.

Marius Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 12.6° N 46.0° W 15 km
B 16.3° N 47.3° W 12 km
C 14.0° N 47.6° W 11 km
D 11.4° N 45.0° W 9 km
E 12.1° N 52.7° W 6 km
F 12.1° N 45.3° W 6 km
G 12.1° N 50.6° W 3 km
H 11.3° N 50.3° W 5 km
J 10.5° N 46.9° W 3 km
K 9.4° N 50.6° W 4 km
L 15.9° N 55.7° W 8 km
M 17.4° N 54.9° W 6 km
N 18.7° N 54.7° W 4 km
P 17.9° N 51.3° W 4 km
Q 16.5° N 56.2° W 5 km
R 13.6° N 50.3° W 5 km
S 13.9° N 47.1° W 7 km
U 9.6° N 47.6° W 3 km
V 9.9° N 48.3° W 2 km
W 9.4° N 49.7° W 3 km
X 9.7° N 54.9° W 5 km
Y 9.8° N 50.7° W 2 km

[edit] References

  • See the reference table for the general listing of literature and web sites that were used in the compilation of this page.