West (lunar crater)

Not to be confused with Little West Crater.
West (lunar crater)

Lunar Orbiter 5 image with West at right and the Apollo 11 landing site at red dot
Coordinates 0°40′N 23°29′E / 0.67°N 23.49°E / 0.67; 23.49Coordinates: 0°40′N 23°29′E / 0.67°N 23.49°E / 0.67; 23.49
Diameter 190 m[1]
Eponym Astronaut-named feature

West crater is a small crater in Mare Tranquillitatis on the moon, east of the Apollo 11 landing site, which is known as Tranquility Base. The name of the crater was formally adopted by the IAU in 1973.[1]

The Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module (LM) Eagle approximately 550 meters west of West crater on July 20, 1969. During the descent, West crater was a major landmark.

References

  1. 1 2 West, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
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