Virchow (crater)

Virchow is a small lunar impact crater that is located on the northwestern interior floor of the prominent crater Neper. The latter formation lies near the eastern limb of the Moon, along the southern edge of the Mare Marginis. Observation of this area is hindered due to foreshortening, as well as libration effects. It was named after German physician Rudolf Virchow in 1979. Before, this crater had the designation Neper G.

Virchow

Lunar Orbiter 4 image
Coordinates	9.8°N 83.7°E / 9.8; 83.7
Diameter	17 km
Depth	1.2 km
Colongitude	277° at sunrise
Eponym	Rudolf L. K. Virchow

Oblique Apollo 11 image

Virchow has a distorted shape, with a somewhat polygonal rim, particularly in the northern half. The northwestern rim protrudes outwards, giving the crater an asymmetrical appearance. This section of the rim just makes contact with the inner wall of Neper crater. The inner walls of Virchow are relatively narrow, and the interior floor is nearly level and almost featureless.

References

• Andersson, L. E.; Whitaker, E. A. (1982). NASA Catalogue of Lunar Nomenclature. NASA RP-1097.
• Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
• Cocks, Elijah E.; Cocks, Josiah C. (1995). Who's Who on the Moon: A Biographical Dictionary of Lunar Nomenclature. Tudor Publishers. ISBN 978-0-936389-27-1.
• McDowell, Jonathan (July 15, 2007). "Lunar Nomenclature". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
• Menzel, D. H.; Minnaert, M.; Levin, B.; Dollfus, A.; Bell, B. (1971). "Report on Lunar Nomenclature by the Working Group of Commission 17 of the IAU". Space Science Reviews. 12 (2): 136–186. Bibcode:1971SSRv...12..136M. doi:10.1007/BF00171763. S2CID 122125855.
• Moore, Patrick (2001). On the Moon. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-304-35469-6.
• Price, Fred W. (1988). The Moon Observer's Handbook. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-33500-3.
• Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
• Webb, Rev. T. W. (1962). Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (6th revised ed.). Dover. ISBN 978-0-486-20917-3.
• Whitaker, Ewen A. (1999). Mapping and Naming the Moon. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-62248-6.
• Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.

External links

• LTO-63B4 Virchow — L&PI topographic map
• Media related to Virchow (crater) at Wikimedia Commons