Geological Chronicle
Located near the western limb of the Moon in the Riccioli quadrangle, Rocca is an impact crater with a diameter of 84.06 kilometers. Formed during the Nectarian period, it lies northwest of the flooded crater Crüger and west of the Montes Cordillera, with the small lunar mare Lacus Aestatis positioned just to the east-southeast.
Rocca lies within the ejecta skirt surrounding the Mare Orientale impact basin, and radial streaks of material have modified its surroundings. Across the eastern part of the floor sits a dune-like set of hills composed of decelerated surface-flow ejecta from the Orientale impact, similar to formations in the crater Darwin to the south. The remainder of the crater is in poor condition with small rim craters, including Rocca R across the northern rim and the smaller Rocca L along the southern edge and inner wall.
Among its satellite features, the Imbrian-period crater Rocca T contains meteoritic iron-rich impact melt. The main crater is named for the Italian mathematician Giovanni Antonio Rocca.