Purkyne (crater)
Encyclopedia
Purkyně is a lunar
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...

 impact crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...

 that lies just beyond the eastern limb of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...

, on the far side from the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

. When conditions of libration
Libration
In astronomy, libration is an oscillating motion of orbiting bodies relative to each other, notably including the motion of the Moon relative to Earth, or of Trojan asteroids relative to planets.-Lunar libration:...

 and sunlight allow, this crater can be viewed from the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

, although it is seen from a very low angle and not much detail can be seen. This crater lies just to the west of the larger crater Wyld
Wyld (crater)
Wyld is a lunar impact crater that is located on the Moon's far side, beyond the eastern limb. It lies in that portion of the lunar surface that is sometimes brought into view of the Earth under conditions of favorable libration and illumination, but even then the crater is seen from the edge and...

, and to the north-northwest of the even bigger Hirayama
Hirayama (crater)
Hirayama is a large lunar crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the eastern limb. This region of the surface is sometimes brought into view from Earth during periods of favourable libration. However it is best viewed from orbit. This crater is located along the...

. To the west and northwest of Purkyně is the Mare Smythii
Mare Smythii
Mare Smythii is a lunar mare located along the equator on the easternmost edge of the lunar near side. The Smythii basin where the mare is located is of the Pre-Nectarian epoch, while the surrounding features are of the Nectarian system...

.

This crater has a raised, circular rim that has become worn. The satellite crater Purkyně K intrudes into the southeastern rim. The crater is otherwise only marked by a number of tiny craterlets. The interior floor is relatively level and featureless, with only a pair of tiny craters along the eastern side.

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Purkyně.
Purkyně Latitude Longitude Diameter
D 1.0° S 96.0° E 13 km
K 2.7° S 95.4° E 21 km
S 1.8° S 90.6° E 34 km
U 0.7° S 91.9° E 51 km
V 0.8° S 92.7° E 24 km
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