Messala est un cratère de 124 km, de dimension suffisante pour appartenir à la catégorie des plaines murées. Il est situé dans la partie Nord-est de la lune, assez proche du limbe pour apparaître de manière significative oblong. Presque attaché au mur nordique on trouve le cratère Schumacher (61 km). Au sud-ouest il y a le cratère, à piton central Geminus (86 km, 5400 m), et directement au Sud, à l’Est de Geminus, le cratère plus petit Bernoulli (48 km, 4000 m). La Muraille externe de Messala est érodée due aux impacts mineurs de craterlets, mais une grande partie du mur externe maintient sa forme originale et un certain degré de terrassement. Le mur est cassé par de plus petits cratères le long du coté Sud, Nord, et des côtés du Nord-ouest. Le plancher intérieur est relativement de niveau mais contient des irrégularités dans la surface à quelques endroits. Il y a plusieurs petits cratères qui sont maintenant des dépressions dans la surface. Le plus notable de ces derniers est un cratère fantôme le long du mur intérieur occidental.

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Messala is a lunar crater of sufficient dimension to belong to the category of walled plains. It is located in the northeastern part of the Moon, close enough to the rim to appear significantly foreshortened. Nearly attached to the northern rim is Schumacher crater. To the southwest is the prominent Geminus crater, and due south is the smaller Bernoulli crater.
The outer rim of this formation has received a significant amount of erosion due to minor impacts, but much of the outer wall retains its original shape and a certain degree of terracing. The rim is broken by smaller craters along the south, north, and northwest sides, designated 'Messala B', 'J', and 'K', respectively. 'Messala J' has a narrow gouge in its eastern rim leading a crater diameter to the east. It is attached to a slightly larger crater which lies across the southern rim of Schumacher.
The interior floor is relatively level but contains irregularities in the surface at some locations. There are several small craters across the floor, which are now little more than low rims and depressions in the surface. The most notable of these is a ghost-crater along the western inner wall.