Bessel (crater)

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Bessel is a small impact crater in the southern half of the Mare Serenitatis, north-northeast of the crater Menelaus. Despite its small size, it is the only crater that lies entirely within the Mare.

The circular, bowl -shaped crater has in its crater a higher albedo than the surrounding lunar surface. The edge shows no significant signs of erosion, and the crater interior has, apart from some slid down screes, no abnormal characteristics. Due to its small size, the frequent case of larger craters terraces could not develop in Bessel.

On the western flank Bessel is passed by a large beam structure that extends from north to south across the surface of Mare and obviously emanating from Tycho.

The following satellite crater of Bessel have been assigned in the meantime by the International Astronomical Union ( IAU) has its own name:

• Bessel A - see craters Sarabhai.
• Bessel E - see craters Bobillier.