Stefan (crater)
Encyclopedia
Stefan is a lunar
crater
on the far side of the Moon
, just beyond the northwestern limb. Attached to the western rim is the slightly smaller crater Wegener
, and close to the eastern rim is Rynin
.
As with many craters of this size on the Moon, the outer rim has been worn by impact erosion and the edge and inner wall are generally pitted with small craterlets. The southern edge of the rim in particular has been damaged by impacts, and is overlain by the satellite crater Stefan L. This bowl-shaped crater lies at the center of a small ray system
, which is indicative of a relatively young impact.
The interior floor of Stefan is a generally level surface that is marked by several impacts. The most notable is a ring-shaped crater rim projecting up through the southern half of the floor. Near the mid-point is a low hill, possibly the buried remnant of a central peak.
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...
on the far side 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...
, just beyond the northwestern limb. Attached to the western rim is the slightly smaller crater Wegener
Wegener (lunar crater)
Wegener is a lunar impact crater that is located in the Moon's northern hemisphere, about midway between the equator and the north pole. It lies on the far side from the Earth, behind the northwestern limb. The southwestern rim of Wegener iintrudes slightly into the much larger walled plain Landau...
, and close to the eastern rim is Rynin
Rynin (crater)
Rynin is a lunar crater that is located just behind the northwestern limb, on the far side of the Moon. It is located just to the east of the larger crater Stefan, and to the southwest of Chapman....
.
As with many craters of this size on the Moon, the outer rim has been worn by impact erosion and the edge and inner wall are generally pitted with small craterlets. The southern edge of the rim in particular has been damaged by impacts, and is overlain by the satellite crater Stefan L. This bowl-shaped crater lies at the center of a small ray system
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...
, which is indicative of a relatively young impact.
The interior floor of Stefan is a generally level surface that is marked by several impacts. The most notable is a ring-shaped crater rim projecting up through the southern half of the floor. Near the mid-point is a low hill, possibly the buried remnant of a central peak.
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 Stefan.| Stefan | Latitude | Longitude | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | 44.6° N | 107.7° W | 26 km |