List of plains on the Moon: Difference between revisions

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The [[Moon]] has numerous named [[Plain|plains]] on its surface made of dark-appearing [[basaltic rock]]s. The plains are visibly prominent on the [[near side of the Moon]] because of their contrasting appearance from the surrounding [[lunar highlands]], which are made up of [[anorthosite]], an [[igneous rock]] that contains significant concentrations of highly reflective [[plagioclase feldspar]] minerals. As with other [[Selenography|topographical features on the Moon]], the official [[Planetary nomenclature|nomenclature]] for lunar plains is based on a [[Latin]] naming system first created by [[Ancient Greek astronomy|historical astronomers]] during the Roman Empire. Due to their darker appearance and visual prominence, Roman astronomers believed the plains were water and used Latin words for water bodies in classifying them. The Latin classifications for lunar plains are oceanus ({{literal translation|ocean}}), mare ({{literal translation|sea}}), lacus ({{literal translation|lake}}), palus ({{literal translation|marsh}}), and sinus ({{literal translation|bay}}). The largest plain is [[Oceanus Procellarum]] (”{{translation|Ocean of Storms}}”), covering much of the western half of the Moon’s near side and the only plain to be classified as an oceanus. Most other prominent plains on the near side of the Moon are the [[Lunar mare|lunar maria]], while the Moon’s lacūs, sinūs, and paludes are generally smaller and less visually prominent.{{efn|The [[Latin plurals]] of mare, lacus, palus, and sinus are maria, lacūs, paludes, and sinūs, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Target: The Moon |url=https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/MOON/target |access-date=13 September 2025 |website=Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature |publisher=[[USGS Astrogeology Research Program]] |language=en}}</ref>}}{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}<!–Due to ______, the majority of the Moon’s plains are concentrated on the near side, with there only being a few on the far side. –>

The [[Moon]] has numerous named [[Plain|plains]] on its surface made of dark-appearing [[basaltic rock]]s. The plains are visibly prominent on the [[near side of the Moon]] because of their contrasting appearance from the surrounding [[lunar highlands]], which are made up of [[anorthosite]], an [[igneous rock]] that contains significant concentrations of highly reflective [[plagioclase feldspar]] minerals. As with other [[Selenography|topographical features on the Moon]], the official [[Planetary nomenclature|nomenclature]] for lunar plains is based on a [[Latin]] naming system first created by [[Ancient Greek astronomy|historical astronomers]] during the Roman Empire. Due to their darker appearance and visual prominence, Roman astronomers believed the plains were water and used Latin words for water bodies in classifying them. The Latin classifications for lunar plains are oceanus ({{literal translation|ocean}}), mare ({{literal translation|sea}}), lacus ({{literal translation|lake}}), palus ({{literal translation|marsh}}), and sinus ({{literal translation|bay}}). The largest plain is [[Oceanus Procellarum]] (”{{translation|Ocean of Storms}}”), covering much of the western half of the Moon’s near side and the only plain to be classified as an oceanus. Most other prominent plains on the near side of the Moon are the [[Lunar mare|lunar maria]], while the Moon’s lacūs, sinūs, and paludes are generally smaller and less visually prominent.{{efn|The [[Latin plurals]] of mare, lacus, palus, and sinus are maria, lacūs, paludes, and sinūs, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Target: The Moon |url=https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/MOON/target |access-date=13 September 2025 |website=Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature |publisher=[[USGS Astrogeology Research Program]] |language=en}}</ref>}}{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}<!–Due to ______, the majority of the Moon’s plains are concentrated on the near side, with there only being a few on the far side. –>

The modern system of Latin-based lunar nomenclature began in 1651, when Italian astronomer and Catholic priest [[Giovanni Battista Riccioli]] published ”Almagestum Novum”, an encyclopedic work in which he and fellow Italian priest and scientist [[Francesco Maria Grimaldi]] created a detailed map of the lunar near side’s surface. In the book, Riccioli introduced a system differentiating lunar topography into three categories, with dark plains comprising one category and given Latin labels for bodies of water together with poetic, abstract names. Riccioli’s system was used significantly in Europe in the succeeding centuries and became the basis for the current global standard in 1935, when the [[International Astronomical Union]] (IAU)—the official international organization for the standardization of astronomy—adopted much of Riccioli’s names and conventions. Since the current IAU nomenclature rules were affirmed in 1973, new names for lunar plains have been restricted to Latin terms that describe weather and other abstract concepts. Of plains inscribed prior to 1973 by the IAU, there are four that carry non-abstract names: [[Mare Humboldtianum]] and [[Mare Smythii]], named for German natural historian [[Alexander von Humboldt]] and British astronomer [[William Henry Smyth]], respectively; [[Mare Moscoviense]], named for [[Grand Principality of Moscow|Muscovy]], a historical predecessor of Russia; and [[Sinus Lunicus]], named for the Soviet space probe ”[[Luna 2]]” ({{abbrlink|Colloq.|Colloquially}} ”Lunik 2”), which landed there in 1959.{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}

The modern system of Latin-based lunar nomenclature began in 1651, when Italian astronomer and Catholic priest [[Giovanni Battista Riccioli]] published ”Almagestum Novum”, an encyclopedic work in which he and fellow Italian priest and scientist [[Francesco Maria Grimaldi]] created a detailed map of the lunar near side’s surface. In the book, Riccioli introduced a system differentiating lunar topography into three categories, with dark plains comprising one category and given Latin labels for bodies of water together with poetic, abstract names. Riccioli’s system was used significantly in Europe in the succeeding centuries and became the basis for the current global standard in 1935, when the [[International Astronomical Union]] (IAU)—the official international organization for the standardization of astronomy—adopted much of Riccioli’s names and conventions. Since the current IAU nomenclature rules were affirmed in 1973, new names for lunar plains have been restricted to Latin terms that describe weather and other abstract concepts. Of plains inscribed prior to 1973 by the IAU, there are four that carry non-abstract names: [[Mare Humboldtianum]] and [[Mare Smythii]], named for German natural historian [[Alexander von Humboldt]] and British astronomer [[William Henry Smyth]], respectively; [[Mare Moscoviense]], named for [[Grand Principality of Moscow|Muscovy]], a historical predecessor of Russia; and [[Sinus Lunicus]], named for the Soviet space probe ”[[Luna 2]]” ({{abbrlink|Colloq.|Colloquially}} ”Lunik 2”), which landed there in 1959.{{ |date=September 2025}}

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Official astronomical names and designations are decided and registered by the IAU, which reviews proposed and

Official astronomical names and designations are decided and registered by the IAU, which reviews proposed and

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| data-sort-value=”15″ align=right| LAC-15

| data-sort-value=”15″ align=right| LAC-15

|align=right| {{coord|56|55|12|N|81|32|24|E|globe:moon|name=Mare Humboldtianum}}

|align=right| {{coord|56|55|12|N|81|32|24|E|globe:moon|name=Mare Humboldtianum}}

|align=left| <ref>{{Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature|id=3676||name=Mare Humboldtianum}}</ref>

|align=left| <ref name= />

|-

|-

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Mare Humorum]]

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Mare Humorum]]

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| data-sort-value=”48″ align=right| LAC-48

| data-sort-value=”48″ align=right| LAC-48

|align=right| {{coord|27|16|48|N|148|7|12|E|globe:moon|name=Mare Moscoviense}}

|align=right| {{coord|27|16|48|N|148|7|12|E|globe:moon|name=Mare Moscoviense}}

|align=left| <ref>{{Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature|id=3682||name=Mare Moscoviense}}</ref>

|align=left| <ref name= />

|-

|-

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Mare Nectaris]]

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Mare Nectaris]]

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| data-sort-value=”81″ align=right| LAC-81

| data-sort-value=”81″ align=right| LAC-81

|align=right| {{coord|1|42|36|S|87|3|0|E|globe:moon|name=Mare Smythii}}

|align=right| {{coord|1|42|36|S|87|3|0|E|globe:moon|name=Mare Smythii}}

|align=left| <ref>{{Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature|id=3689||name=Mare Smythii}}</ref>

|align=left| <ref name= />

|-

|-

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Mare Spumans]]

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Mare Spumans]]

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| data-sort-value=”25″ align=right| LAC-25

| data-sort-value=”25″ align=right| LAC-25

|align=right| {{coord|32|21|36|N|1|51|0|W|globe:moon|name=Sinus Lunicus}}

|align=right| {{coord|32|21|36|N|1|51|0|W|globe:moon|name=Sinus Lunicus}}

|align=left| <ref>{{Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature|id=5566||name=Sinus Lunicus}}</ref>

|align=left| <ref name= />

|-

|-

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Sinus Medii]]

!scope=”row” align=”left”|[[Sinus Medii]]

The Moon has numerous named plains on its surface made of dark-appearing basaltic rocks. The plains are visibly prominent on the near side of the Moon because of their contrasting appearance from the surrounding lunar highlands, which are made up of anorthosite, an igneous rock that contains significant concentrations of highly reflective plagioclase feldspar minerals. As with other topographical features on the Moon, the official nomenclature for lunar plains is based on a Latin naming system first created by historical astronomers during the Roman Empire. Due to their darker appearance and visual prominence, Roman astronomers believed the plains were water and used Latin words for water bodies in classifying them. The Latin classifications for lunar plains are oceanus (lit. ‘ocean‘), mare (lit. ‘sea‘), lacus (lit. ‘lake‘), palus (lit. ‘marsh‘), and sinus (lit. ‘bay‘). The largest plain is Oceanus Procellarum (transl. Ocean of Storms), covering much of the western half of the Moon’s near side and the only plain to be classified as an oceanus. Most other prominent plains on the near side of the Moon are the lunar maria, while the Moon’s lacūs, sinūs, and paludes are generally smaller and less visually prominent.^{[b][citation needed]}

The modern system of Latin-based lunar nomenclature began in 1651, when Italian astronomer and Catholic priest Giovanni Battista Riccioli published Almagestum Novum, an encyclopedic work in which he and fellow Italian priest and scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi created a detailed map of the lunar near side’s surface. In the book, Riccioli introduced a system differentiating lunar topography into three categories, with dark plains comprising one category and given Latin labels for bodies of water together with poetic, abstract names. Riccioli’s system was used significantly in Europe in the succeeding centuries and became the basis for the current global standard in 1935, when the International Astronomical Union (IAU)—the official international organization for the standardization of astronomy—adopted much of Riccioli’s names and conventions. Since the current IAU nomenclature rules were affirmed in 1973, new names for lunar plains have been restricted to Latin terms that describe weather and other abstract concepts. Of plains inscribed prior to 1973 by the IAU, there are four that carry non-abstract names: Mare Humboldtianum and Mare Smythii, named for German natural historian Alexander von Humboldt and British astronomer William Henry Smyth, respectively;^[2][3] Mare Moscoviense, named for Muscovy, a historical predecessor of Russia;^[4][5] and Sinus Lunicus, named for the Soviet space probe Luna 2 (Colloq.Tooltip Colloquially Lunik 2), which landed there in 1959.^[6][7]

List

Clickable map

See also

Notes

References

External links