Anaxagoras (crater)

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Anaxagoras (crater)
Lunar crater Anaxagoras.png
Location of the lunar crater Anaxagoras.
Coordinates 73°24′N 10°06′W / 73.4°N 10.1°W / 73.4; -10.1Coordinates: 73°24′N 10°06′W / 73.4°N 10.1°W / 73.4; -10.1
Diameter 51 km
Depth 3.0 km
Colongitude 11° at sunrise
Eponym Anaxagoras

Anaxagoras is a young lunar impact crater that is located near the north pole of the Moon. It lies across the larger and more heavily worn crater Goldschmidt. To the south-southeast is Epigenes, and due south is the worn remains of Birmingham.

Anaxagoras is a relatively recent impact crater that is young enough to still possess a ray system that has not been eroded by space weathering. The rays from the site reach a distance of over 900 kilometers from the rim, reaching Plato to the south.

The crater interior has a relatively high albedo, making it a prominent feature when the Moon is nearly full. (The high latitude of the crater means that the Sun always remains close to the horizon even at maximum elevation less than a day after Full Moon.) The interior walls are steep and possess a system of terraces. The central peak is offset from the crater midpoint, and joins a low range across the crater floor.

Satellite craters [edit]

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Anaxagoras.

Anaxagoras Latitude Longitude Diameter
A 72.2° N 6.9° W 18 km
B 70.3° N 11.4° W 5 km