The rim of the crater is slightly distorted, although generally circular.

There are a pair of small craterlet depressions in the middle instead of a central peak.

The crater is named after French physicist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac.

[1] To the southwest is a wide rille named Rima Gay-Lussac.

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Gay-Lussac.