Geological Chronicle
Wargentin is an unusual lunar impact crater measuring 84.69 kilometers across near the southwestern limb of the Moon. Basaltic lava erupted from within its walls and accumulated until overrunning the lowest portion of the rim, forming a raised plateau. A blockage subsequently prevented the lava flow from returning to equilibrium.
Ejecta deposited across the top gives the surface a higher albedo than is typical for deposits of basalt. The rim of Wargentin is somewhat worn and overlain by a few small craters, while its outer wall climbs 0.3 kilometers above the surrounding terrain. A spoked pattern of wrinkle ridges radiates across the surface from the center of the crater.
Located on the approaches to the southwest lunar limb, Wargentin appears elongated when viewed from Earth. It connects along its southeast rim to the slightly smaller crater Nasmyth, which is overlaid by Phocylides, while the much larger walled plain Schickard lies to the northeast. The crater is named after Swedish astronomer Pehr Wilhelm Wargentin, who observed the brightest maximum recorded for the variable star Mira.