Atlas

A prominent crater with a complex, dark floor featuring numerous small craters and rilles.

Visual Description

Atlas appeared as a distinct crater with high walls and a notably dark, irregular floor. The crater sits immediately north of the slightly smaller crater Hercules, forming a striking pair. The floor showed hints of complexity even at low magnification, with darker patches indicating volcanic material.

Notable Features

• Dark, complex floor with multiple small craters
• High, prominent walls
• Forms a pair with adjacent crater Hercules
• Floor contains numerous tiny craterlets and dark halo craters
• Located at the edge of Mare Frigoris

Notes

• Named after the Titan Atlas from Greek mythology
• Best observed 4-6 days after new moon
• The Atlas-Hercules pair is a famous telescopic sight
• Coordinates: 46.7°N, 44.4°E
• Floor features require good seeing to observe