Censorinus (crater)

Censorinus (crater)

Censorinus is a tiny lunar impact crater located on a rise to the southeast of the Mare Tranquillitatis. To the northeast is the crater Maskelyne.

Censorinus is distinguished by an area of high-albedo material surrounding the rim. This makes the feature highly prominent when the Sun is at a high angle, and it is one of the brightest objects on the visible Moon. Bright streaks radiate away radially from the crater, and contrast with the darker lunar mare.

This formation has a sharp-edged, raised rim and a symmetrical, cup-shaped interior. Close-up photographs of this crater by the Lunar Orbiter probes show many large blocks lying along the sloping outer rampart. The surface near the crater is hummocky from the deposited ejecta. The crater is otherwise undistinguished.