List of plains on Mars

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This is a list of plains on Mars . Such features are named after the nearest classical albedo feature in compliance with the International Astronomical Union's rules of planetary nomenclature. Plains may be named denoted "planitia" or "planum", depending on height.

Contents

Planitia

Planitia (plural: planitiae) is Latin for plain. It is the IAU descriptor term for features which are "low plains".

NameCoordinatesSize (km)
Acidalia Planitia 50°N21°W / 50°N 21°W / 50; -21 (Acidalia Planitia) 3400
Amazonis Planitia 26°N163°W / 26°N 163°W / 26; -163 (Amazonis Planitia) 2800
Arcadia Planitia 47°N176°W / 47°N 176°W / 47; -176 (Arcadia Planitia) 1900
Argyre Planitia 50°S43°W / 50°S 43°W / -50; -43 (Argyre Planitia) 900
Chryse Planitia 29°N40°W / 29°N 40°W / 29; -40 (Chryse Planitia) 1500
Elysium Planitia 3°N155°E / 3°N 155°E / 3; 155 (Elysium Planitia) 3000
Eridania Planitia 38°S122°E / 38°S 122°E / -38; 122 (Eridania Planitia) 1100
Hellas Planitia 42°30′S70°30′E / 42.5°S 70.5°E / -42.5; 70.5 (Hellas Planitia) 2300
Isidis Planitia 14°N88°E / 14°N 88°E / 14; 88 (Isidis Planitia) 1200
Utopia Planitia 47°N118°E / 47°N 118°E / 47; 118 (Utopia Planitia) 3600

Plana

Planum (plural: plana) is the Latin word for plateau. It is the IAU descriptor term for plateaus and high plains.

NameLatitudeLongitudeDiameter (km)
Aeolis Planum0.79 S145.0 E820
Amenthes Planum3.16 N105.7 E960
Aonia Planum57.71 S281.0 E650
Argentea Planum69.79 S292.0 E1750
Ascuris Planum40.38 N279.2 E500
Aurorae Planum10.38 S310.8 E600
Bosporus Planum 34.2 S295.1 E700
Daedalia Planum 21.78 S232.0 E1800
Hesperia Planum 22.27 S110.0 E1700
Icaria Planum 43.18 S253.5 E650
Lucus Planum 3.96 S182.0 E864
Lunae Planum 10.38 N294.0 E1800
Malea Planum64.75 S65.0 E900
Meridiani Planum 0.2 N357.5 E1100
Nepenthes Planum12.46 N113.4 E1660
Oenotria Plana8 S76 E925
Olympia Planum81.91 N195.0 E1000
Ophir Planum8.7 S302.5 E650
Oxia Planum [1] 18.275 N335.368 E
Parva Planum75.85 S257.0 E750
Planum Angustum79.69 S276.5 E200
Planum Australe 83.93 S160.0 E1450
Planum Boreum 87.98 N15.0 E1100
Planum Chronium59.72 S140.0 E550
Promethei Planum78.88 S90.0 E850
Sinai Planum 13.35 S272.0 E900
Sisyphi Planum69.79 S5.0 E1100
Solis Planum 25.25 S273.5 E1700
Syria Planum 13.06 S256.1 E740
Syrtis Major Planum 8.41 N69.5 E1350
Thaumasia Planum24.45 S295.7 E650
Zephyria Planum0.99 S153.1 E550

Interactive Mars map

Interactive image map of the global topography of Mars. Hover your mouse over the image to see the names of over 60 prominent geographic features, and click to link to them. Coloring of the base map indicates relative elevations, based on data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor. Whites and browns indicate the highest elevations (+12 to +8 km); followed by pinks and reds (+8 to +3 km); yellow is 0 km; greens and blues are lower elevations (down to -8 km). Axes are latitude and longitude; Polar regions are noted.
(See also: Mars Rovers map and Mars Memorial map) (view * discuss) Mars Map.JPGCydonia MensaeGale craterHolden craterJezero craterLomonosov craterLyot craterMalea PlanumMaraldi craterMareotis TempeMie craterMilankovič craterSisyphi Planum
Interactive icon.svg Interactive image map of the global topography of Mars. Hover your mouse over the image to see the names of over 60 prominent geographic features, and click to link to them. Coloring of the base map indicates relative elevations, based on data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor . Whites and browns indicate the highest elevations (+12 to +8 km); followed by pinks and reds (+8 to +3 km); yellow is 0 km; greens and blues are lower elevations (down to −8 km). Axes are latitude and longitude; Polar regions are noted.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planetary nomenclature</span> System of uniquely identifying features on the surface of a planet or natural satellite

Planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is a system of uniquely identifying features on the surface of a planet or natural satellite so that the features can be easily located, described, and discussed. Since the invention of the telescope, astronomers have given names to the surface features they have discerned, especially on the Moon and Mars. To found an authority on planetary nomenclature, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) was organized in 1919 to designate and standardize names for features on Solar System bodies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davies (crater)</span> Crater on Mars

Davies is a crater on Mars located at 46°N 0°E on the fringe of Acidalia Planitia near Arabia Terra. It is approximately 48 km in diameter. The crater's name was formally approved by the IAU in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tholus</span> Small domical mountain or hill

In planetary nomenclature, a tholus is a small domical mountain or hill. The word is from the Greek θόλος, tholos, which means a circular building with a conical or vaulted roof. The Romans transliterated the word into the Latin tholus, which means cupola or dome. In 1973, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) adopted tholus as one of a number of official descriptor terms for topographic features on Mars and other planets and satellites. One justification for using neutral Latin or Greek descriptors was that it allowed features to be named and described before their geology or geomorphology could be determined. For example, many tholi appear to be volcanic in origin, but the term does not imply a specific geologic origin. Currently, the IAU recognizes 56 descriptor terms. Tholi are present on Venus, Mars, asteroid 4 Vesta, dwarf planet Ceres, and on Jupiter's moon Io.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suisei Planitia</span> Crater on Mercury

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acidalia Colles</span> Group of hills in the Mare Acidalium quadrangle of Mars

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ausonia Mensa</span> Martian geographical feature

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hesperia Planum</span> Broad lava plain in the southern highlands of the planet Mars

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mons (planetary nomenclature)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collis (planetary nomenclature)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patera (planetary nomenclature)</span> Irregular type of crater

PateraPAT-ər-ə is an irregular crater, or a complex crater with scalloped edges on a celestial body. Paterae can have any origin, although the majority of them were created by volcanism. The term comes from Latin, where it refers to a shallow bowl used in antique cultures.

References

  1. Bridges, John (July 1, 2015). "Clay-Rich Terrain in Oxia Planum: A Proposed ExoMars Landing Site". Arizona University . Retrieved October 21, 2015.

This article was based on the USGS's Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.