Maupertius is the remnant of a lunar crater that is located in the northern part of the Moon's near side. It lies in the stretch of rugged terrain north of Sinus Iridium , a bay in the northwestern corner of the Mare Imbrium. To the north lies La Condamine crater and Mare Frigoris.

This is a crater that has been nearly obliterated by a history of impacts, leaving only a disintegrated remnant of the original rim. The surviving outer rim is not especially circular, having been reshaped into a somewhat pentagonal outline. There are deep gouges from cratering along the northeastern rim. The interior floor is not in much better shape, being rough and irregular.

To the northeast of this crater is a system of rilles that have the designation Rimae Maupertius. These are considered to have formed through geological activity. The rilles require good seeing and a larger telescope to observe.

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 Maupertuis crater.