Metius (crater)

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Crater characteristics
Coordinates	40.3° S, 43.3° E
Diameter	88 km
Depth	3.0 km
Colongitude	317° at sunrise
Eponym	Adriaan Adriaanszoon

Metius is a lunar impact crater located in the rugged highlands to the southeast of the moon's near side. To the southwest the rim is attached to Fabricius crater. Offset to the east-northeast is the heavily worn Brenner crater. Further away to the northeast is Rheita crater and the long gorge Vallis Rheita.

The rim of Metius does not protrude prominently into the surroundings and has an insignificant rampart. A few small craters mar the outer wall, but generally it has a smoothed down appearance that is almost free of terraces. The floor is relatively flat with low central peaks. The most prominent crater on the floor is 'Metius B', located near the northeast rim.

The eponym for this crater is the Dutch geometer and astronomer Adriaan Adriaanszoon, who went by the name of Metius.

[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 Metius crater.

Metius	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
B	40.1° S	44.3° E	14 km
C	44.2° S	49.1° E	11 km
D	42.6° S	48.4° E	11 km
E	39.7° S	42.8° E	6 km
F	39.1° S	42.9° E	8 km
G	40.3° S	45.3° E	9 km

[edit] References

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• Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
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• McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). Lunar Nomenclature. Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved on 2007-10-24.
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• Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62248-4. 
• Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 1852331933.