Wexler (crater)

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Crater characteristics
Coordinates 69.1° S, 90.2° E
Diameter 51 km
Depth Unknown
Colongitude 272° at sunrise
Eponym Harry Wexler

Wexler is a lunar impact crater that lies across the south-southeast limb of the Moon. In this location not much detail about the formation can be discerned from the Earth, and it must be viewed from orbit to see most of the structure. It lies about a hundred kilometers northward of the larger Hale crater, and south-southeast of Petrov crater.

The rim of this crater retains much of its original structure, although the features have become softened and worn in comparison to the young Hale crater. The rim has a polygonal appearance along most of the perimeter, and traces of terraces can still be seen along sections of the inner wall. There is a small crater across the northwest rim, but otherwise the formation is not significantly marked by impacts. The interior floor is relatively flat and level, with a central peak near the mid-point. There is the ghostly-remnant of a crater to the northeast of the middle peak.

Within a half crater diameter to the north and east is a wide, valley-like rift in the surface. The narrow end of this cut is located to the east of Wexler, and from there is follows a nearly straight, widening course to the northeast, before opening wide toward the northwest to the north of Wexler.

[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 Wexler crater.

Wexler Latitude Longitude Diameter
E 68.8° S 95.5° E 23 km
H 70.5° S 96.7° E 14 km
U 68.2° S 82.0° E 51 km
V 68.0° S 83.9° E 21 km

[edit] References

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