Home > Arzachel (crater)

Arzachel is a relatively young lunar impact crater located in the highlands in the south-central part of the visible Moon, close to the zero meridian (the visible center of the moon). It lies to the south of Alphonsus crater, and together with Ptolemaeus crater further north the three form a prominent line of craters to the east of Mare Nubium. The smaller Alpetragius crater lies to the northwest, and Thebit crater is to the southwest along the edge of the mare.

It is remarkably clear in its structure and a favorite viewing subject for advanced amateur telescopists. The rim of Arzachel shows little sign of wear and has a detailed terrace structure on the interior, especially on the slightly higher eastern rim. There is a rough outer rampartRampart may mean: A type of defensive wall consisting of a low earthen embankment topped by a parapet or palisade. A division of the Los Angeles Police Department; see CRASH Ramparts a liberal American magazine. The Rampart arcade game. that joins a ridge running from the north rim to southern rim of Alphonsus crater.

The rugger central peak of Arzachel is prominent, rising 1.5 kilometers above the floor, and is somewhat offset to the west. The floor is relatively flat, except for some irregularities in the south of the crater. There is a rille systemIt is pronounced the same as a second name of a river in Normandy in France, see Risle A rille is used to describe any of the long, narrow depressions in the lunar surface that resemble channels. Typically a rille can be up to several kilometers wide and named the Rimae Arzachel that runs from the northern wall to the southeast rim.

1 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 Arzachel crater.