Stöfler (crater)

lunar crater data
latitude=41.1
N_or_S=S
longitude=6.0
E_or_W=E
diameter=126 km
depth=2.8 km
colong=354
eponym=Johannes Stöffler

Stöfler is a large lunar impact crater located in the crater-riddled southern highlands, named for Johannes Stöffler. It sits to the west of the crater Maurolycus. The distorted crater Fernelius is attached to the northern rim, and Miller and Nasireddin lie to the west. Faraday has overlain and damaged the western rim, and this crater in turn has been overlaid by several smaller craters.

The rim of Stöfler is worn and eroded, but the outline remains relatively intact except where overlain by Faraday. The smaller Stöfler K intrudes into the northwest rim, and Stöfler F forms an indentation into the base of the southwest interior wall.

The crater floor has been filled in with deposits, either from lava flows or "ejecta" from basin impacts, and is relatively flat and featureless in the northwest half. If there was a central peak, it has now become buried. The floor has a low albedo, making the crater relatively easy to identify as it is one of the few craters in this region of the lunar surface that have a dark floor. Traces of bright ray material from Tycho, located to the west, can been seen across the floor.

atellite 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 Stöfler.

References

* cite web
last = Wood | first = Chuck | date = October 16, 2007
url = http://www.lpod.org/?m=20071016
title = 6 Degrees of Separation
publisher = Lunar Photo of the Day
accessdate = 2007-10-16