Messala (crater)

Messala is a lunar crater of sufficient dimension to belong to the category of walled plains. It is located in the northeastern part of the Moon, close enough to the rim to appear significantly foreshortened. Nearly attached to the northern rim is Schumacher crater. To the southwest is the prominent Geminus crater, and due south is the smaller Bernoulli crater.

The outer rim of this formation has received a significant amount of erosion due to minor impacts, but much of the outer wall retains its original shape and a certain degree of terracing. The rim is broken by smaller craters along the south, north, and northwest sides, designated 'Messala B', 'J', and 'K', respectively. 'Messala J' has a narrow gouge in its eastern rim leading a crater diameter to the east. It is attached to a slightly larger crater which lies across the southern rim of Schumacher.

The interior floor is relatively level but contains irregularities in the surface at some locations. There are several small craters across the floor, which are now little more than low rims and depressions in the surface. The most notable of these is a ghost-crater along the western inner wall.

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 Messala crater.