List_of_maria_on_the_Moon

List of maria on the Moon

List of maria on the Moon

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This is a list of maria (large, dark, basaltic plains) on the Moon. It includes other basaltic plains, including the one oceanus as well as features known by the names lacus, palus and sinus. The modern system of lunar nomenclature was introduced in 1651 by Giovanni Battista Riccioli.[1] Riccioli's map of the Moon was drawn by Francesco Maria Grimaldi, who has a crater named after him.

Moon photo with maria and large impact craters labeled
1882 chart of the moon with maria

Maria and Oceanus

More information Latin Name, English Name ...

There was also a region on the Lunar farside that was briefly misidentified as a mare and named Mare Desiderii (Sea of Desire). It is no longer recognized. Other former maria include:

  • Mare Parvum[3] ("Small Sea"), immediately to the east of Inghirami
  • Mare Incognitum ("Unknown Sea")
  • Mare Novum[3] ("New Sea"), northeast of Plutarch
  • Mare Struve ("Struve's Sea"), near Messala

Lacus

A related set of features are the Lunar lacus /ˈlkəs/ (singular also lacus, Latin for "lake"),[lower-alpha 1] which are smaller basaltic plains of similar origin:

More information Latin Name, English Name ...

Sinus and Paludes

A related set of features are the sinus /ˈsnəs/ (singular sinus, Latin for "bay")[lower-alpha 2] and paludes /pəˈldz/ (singular palus /ˈpləs/, Latin palūs, palūdēs "marsh"):

More information Latin Name, English Name ...

Some sources also list a Palus Nebularum (Latin palūs nebulārum /ˈpləs nɛbjʊˈlɛərəm/ "Marsh of Mists") at 38.0° N, 1.0° E. However the designation for this feature has not been officially recognized by the IAU.

See also

Notes

  1. In Latin, the singular is lacus ['lakʊs] and the plural is lacūs ['lakuːs], but they are spelled and pronounced the same in English.
  2. As with 'lacus', Latin sg. sinus and plural sinūs are spelled and pronounced the same in English.

References

  1. Moore, Patrick (1983). The Guinness book of astronomy facts and feats. Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 25. ISBN 0-85112-258-2.
  2. "Moon Mare/Maria". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  3. "Astronomica Langrenus" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2006-10-12. Retrieved 2006-12-05.

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