Anders (crater)

Anders
	Oblique Lunar Orbiter 5 image
Coordinates	41°18′S 142°54′W / 41.3°S 142.9°W
Diameter	41.33 km (25.68 mi)
Depth	Unknown
Colongitude	143° at sunrise
Eponym	William Anders

Anders is a worn lunar impact crater that is located in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon.^[2] It lies just to the southeast of the outer rim of the huge walled basin named Apollo. To the south-southeast is the crater Leavitt.^[3]

The oval-shaped Anders G intrudes slightly into the southeast rim of Anders. There is a tiny double-crater formation attached to the exterior of the northeast rim, and a short valley cuts into the northern wall. The interior floor is relatively flat, and is marked only by a tiny crater on the eastern wall.^[4]^: 121

Anders crater is named after the American astronaut William Anders (1933–2024). This designation was formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1970.^[1] In 1968, Anders and his Apollo 8 crewmates became the first humans to orbit the Moon. Two nearby craters are named after the other crew members, Frank Borman (Borman crater) and Jim Lovell (Lovell crater).^[5]^[6] The crew actually chose several names for unnamed craters along their orbital track, including names of all three crew members, but these were disallowed by the IAU.^[7]

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Anders.

Anders^[4]^: 291	Latitude	Longitude	Diameter
D	40.4° S	140.5° W	23 km
G	41.8° S	141.9° W	18 km
X	39.7° S	143.8° W	21 km

References

1 2 "Anders". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
↑ Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.
↑ Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.
1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.
↑ McElheny, Victor K. (August 15, 1970). "Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins on Moon again–as Names". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 16. Retrieved 2026-05-15 – via Newspapers.com.
↑ "Geographer Contributes to Naming of Lunar Craters in Honor of Apollo 8". Cal State Fullerton News. November 26, 2018. Retrieved 2026-05-15.
↑ Anders, William (September 11, 2013). "Letter: Name game". New Scientist (2934). Retrieved 2026-05-15.

Sources

Rükl, Antonín (1990). Atlas of the Moon. Kalmbach Books. ISBN 978-0-913135-17-4.
Wlasuk, Peter T. (2000). Observing the Moon. Springer. ISBN 978-1-85233-193-1.

External links

Media related to Anders (crater) at Wikimedia Commons

[GPN-1] 1 2 "Anders". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.

[Moore_2000-2] Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. CRC Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-4200-3344-1.

[Byrne_2008-3] Byrne, Charles J. (2008). The Far Side of the Moon. Springer. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-4899-8806-5.

[Bussey_Spudis_2004-4] 1 2 Bussey, B.; Spudis, P. (2004). The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81528-4.

[Boston_Globe_1970-5] McElheny, Victor K. (August 15, 1970). "Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins on Moon again–as Names". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 16. Retrieved 2026-05-15 – via Newspapers.com.

[CSFN_2018-6] "Geographer Contributes to Naming of Lunar Craters in Honor of Apollo 8". Cal State Fullerton News. November 26, 2018. Retrieved 2026-05-15.

[Anders_2013-7] Anders, William (September 11, 2013). "Letter: Name game". New Scientist (2934). Retrieved 2026-05-15.

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