Kurchatov (crater)

Kurchatov is a lunar impact crater that lies on the far side of the Moon. It is located to the southeast of the prominent crater Moore and northwest of the larger crater Mandel'shtam.

The rim of Kurchatov is generally well-defined, with some minor terracing along the inner walls. The outer rim is somewhat circular, although it is slightly distorted in shape due to nearby craters and irregular terrain. A small crater lies across the northern rim edge, and a few tiny craterlets mark the eastern and southeastern rims.

The interior floor of Kurchatov is relatively level and featureless, with only a few small craters scattered about. There is no central peak, and the floor is darker in albedo than the surrounding terrain, possibly due to deposits of volcanic material. The crater likely formed during the Nectarian period.

Kurchatov is named after Igor Kurchatov, a Soviet nuclear physicist who played a key role in the Soviet atomic bomb project. It was officially named by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).