Eratosthenes (crater)

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Eratosthenes is a large, very deep crater on the moon slightly northwest of the visible moon center. It lies at the junction between the basalt of Mare Imbrium basin and sinus Aestuum and marks the western end of the Apennine Mountains. In the lunar time scale was the longest and most stable era - the eratosthenische period - named after this crater. It began with his strike before 3.15 billion years ago and ended 1.0 billion years ago.

Eratosthenes has sharply defined, ring-shaped crater walls, whose steep inside is divided in terraces. The crater floor is uneven and has three central mountains on. At full moon, some rays of the nearby, much younger mountain ring Copernicus can be seen.