Da Vinci (lunar crater)

da Vinci is a degraded lunar impact crater that is located in the eastern part of the Moon, to the northwest of Mare Fecunditatis.^[2] It lies along the eastern shore of the Sinus Concordiae, a bay along the eastern edge of Mare Tranquillitatis. Nearby craters include Watts to the southeast and Lawrence to the southwest, both smaller in dimension than da Vinci.^[3]

This formation has been heavily damaged and reshaped until it is scarcely recognizable as a crater. Sections of the low eastern rim and a portion to the northwest are still somewhat intact, although they more closely resemble curved ridges than a crater wall. There are gaps in the rim to the south and north, and the interior is irregular with portions having been resurfaced.^[4]: 61

The terrain along the northern and western exterior of the crater is irregular and hilly. A low ridge to the southeast runs to the vicinity of Watts.

This formation is named after the Italian artist, inventor, and mathematician, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).^[1] His name was introduced into lunar nomenclature by the Austrian geographer Karl Peucker [de].^[5] Its designation was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1935.^[1]