Planetary nomenclature
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 standardize planetary nomenclature, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) was assigned in 1919 the task of selecting official names for features on solar system bodies.[1]
Contents
- 1 How names are approved by the IAU
- 2 IAU rules and conventions
- 3 Naming conventions
- 4 Descriptor terms (feature types)
- 5 Categories for naming features on planets and satellites
- 6 See also
- 7 Notes
- 8 References
- 9 Further reading
- 10 External links
How names are approved by the IAU
When images are first obtained of the surface of a planet or satellite, a theme for naming features is chosen and a few important features are named, usually by members of the appropriate IAU task group (a commonly accepted planet-naming group). Later, as higher resolution images and maps become available, additional features are named at the request of investigators mapping or describing specific surfaces, features, or geologic formations. Anyone may suggest that a specific name be considered by a task group. If the members of the task group agree that the name is appropriate, it can be retained for use when there is a request from a member of the scientific community that a specific feature be named. Names successfully reviewed by a task group are submitted to the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN). Upon successful review by the members of the WGPSN, names are considered provisionally approved and can be used on maps and in publications as long as the provisional status is clearly stated. Provisional names are then presented for adoption to the IAU's General Assembly, which met triennially in the past, and which now adopts nomenclature for planetary surface features as required. A name is not considered to be official — that is, "adopted" — until the General Assembly has given its approval.
IAU rules and conventions
Names adopted by the IAU must follow various rules and conventions established and amended through the years by the Union. These include:[2]
- Nomenclature is a tool and the first consideration should be to make it simple, clear, and unambiguous.
- Features whose longest dimension is less than 100 meters are not assigned official names unless they have exceptional scientific interest.
- The number of names chosen for each body should be kept to a minimum, and their placement governed by the requirements of the scientific community.
- Duplication of the same name on two or more bodies is to be avoided.
- Individual names chosen for each body should be expressed in the language of origin. Transliteration for various alphabets should be given, but there will be no translation from one language to another.
- Where possible, the themes established in early solar system nomenclature should be used and expanded on.
- Solar system nomenclature should be international in its choice of names. Recommendations submitted to the IAU national committees will be considered, but final selection of the names is the responsibility of the International Astronomical Union. The WGPSN strongly supports equitable selection of names from ethnic groups/countries on each map; however, a higher percentage of names from the country planning a landing is allowed on landing site maps.
- No names having political, military or (modern) religious significance may be used, except for names of political figures prior to the 19th century.
- Commemoration of persons on planetary bodies should not be a goal in itself but should be reserved for persons of high and enduring international standing. Persons being so honored must have been deceased for at least three years.
- When more than one spelling of a name is extant, the spelling preferred by the person, or used in an authoritative reference, should be used. Diacritical marks are a necessary part of a name and will be used.
- Ring and ring-gap nomenclature and names for newly discovered satellites are developed in joint deliberation between WGPSN and IAU Commission 20. Names will not be assigned to satellites until their orbital elements are reasonably well known or definite features have been identified on them.
In addition to these general rules, each task group develops additional conventions as it formulates an interesting and meaningful nomenclature for individual planetary bodies.
Naming conventions
Names for all planetary features include a descriptor term, with the exception of two feature types. For craters, the descriptor term is implicit. Some features named on Io and Triton do not carry a descriptor term because they are ephemeral.
In general, the naming convention for a feature type remains the same regardless of its size. Exceptions to this rule are valleys and craters on Mars and Venus; naming conventions for these features differ according to size.
One feature classification, regio, was originally used on early maps of the Moon and Mercury (drawn from telescopic observations) to describe vague albedo features. It is now used to delineate a broad geographic region.
Named features on bodies so small that coordinates have not yet been determined are identified on drawings of the body that are included in the IAU Transactions volume of the year when the names were adopted. Satellite rings and gaps in the rings are named for scientists who have studied these features; drawings that show these names are also included in the pertinent Transactions volume. Names for atmospheric features are informal at present; a formal system will be chosen in the future.
The boundaries of many large features (such as terrae, regiones, planitiae and plana) are not topographically or geomorphically distinct; the coordinates of these features are identified from an arbitrarily chosen center point. Boundaries (and thus coordinates) may be determined more accurately from geochemical and geophysical data obtained by future missions.
Descriptor terms (feature types)
| Feature | Pronunciation[3] | Description | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albedo feature | /ælˈbiːdoʊ/ | An area which shows a contrast in brightness or darkness (albedo) with adjacent areas. This term is implicit. | AL |
| Arcus, arcūs | /ˈɑːrkəs/ | Arc: curved feature | AR |
| Astrum, astra | /ˈæstrəm/, /ˈæstrə/ | Radial-patterned features on Venus | AS |
| Catena, catenae | /kəˈtiːnə/, /kəˈtiːniː/ | A chain of craters e.g. Enki Catena. | CA |
| Cavus, cavi | /ˈkeɪvəs/, /ˈkeɪvaɪ/ | Hollows, irregular steep-sided depressions usually in arrays or clusters | CB |
| Chaos | /ˈkeɪ.ɒs/ | A distinctive area of broken or jumbled terrain e.g. Iani Chaos. | CH |
| Chasma, chasmata | /ˈkæzmə/, /ˈkæzmətə/ | Deep, elongated, steep-sided depression e.g. Eos Chasma. | CM |
| Colles | /ˈkɒliːz/ | A collection of small hills or knobs. | CO |
| Corona, coronae | /kɒˈroʊnə/, /kɒˈroʊniː/ | An oval feature. Used only on Venus and Miranda. | CR |
| Crater, craters | /ˈkreɪtər/ | A circular depression likely created by impact event. This term is implicit. | AA |
| Dorsum, dorsa | /ˈdɔːrsəm/, /ˈdɔːrsə/ | Ridge, sometimes called a wrinkle ridge e.g. Dorsum Buckland. | DO |
| Eruptive center | An active volcano on Io. This term is implicit. | ER | |
| Facula, faculae | /ˈfækjʊlə/, /ˈfækjʊliː/ | Bright spot | FA |
| Farrum, farra | /ˈfærəm/, /ˈfærə/ | Pancake-like structure, or a row of such structures. Used only on Venus. | FR |
| Flexus, flexūs | /ˈflɛksəs/ | Very low curvilinear ridge with a scalloped pattern | FE |
| Fluctus, fluctūs | /ˈflʌktəs/ | Terrain covered by outflow of liquid. Used on Venus, Io and Titan. | FL |
| Flumen, flumina | /ˈfluːmᵻn/, /ˈfluːmᵻnə/ | Channel on Titan that might carry liquid | FM |
| Fossa, fossae | /ˈfɒsə/, /ˈfɒsiː/ | Long, narrow, shallow depression | FO |
| Fretum, freta | /ˈfriːtəm/, /ˈfriːtə/ | Strait of liquid connecting two larger areas of liquid. Used only on Titan. | FT |
| Insula, insulae | /ˈɪnsjuːlə/, /ˈɪnsjuːliː/ | Island (islands), an isolated land area (or group of such areas) surrounded by, or nearly surrounded by, a liquid area (sea or lake). Used only on Titan. | IN |
| Labes, labes | /ˈleɪbiːz/ | Landslide debris. Used only on Mars. | LA |
| Labyrinthus, labyrinthi | /læbᵻˈrɪnθəs/, /læbᵻˈrɪnθaɪ/ | Complex of intersecting valleys or ridges. | LB |
| Lacuna, lacunae | /ləˈkjuːnə/, /ləˈkjuːniː/ | Irregularly shaped depression having the appearance of a dry lake bed. Used only on Titan. | LU |
| Lacus, lacūs | /ˈleɪkəs/ | A "lake" or small plain on Moon and Mars; on Titan, a "lake" or small, dark plain with discrete, sharp boundaries. | LC |
| Landing site name | Lunar features at or near Apollo landing sites | LF | |
| Large ringed feature | Cryptic ringed features | LG | |
| Lenticula, lenticulae | /lɛnˈtɪkjʊlə/, /lɛnˈtɪkjʊliː/ | Small dark spots on Europa | LE |
| Linea, lineae | /ˈlɪniːə/, /ˈlɪniː.iː/ | Dark or bright elongate marking, may be curved or straight | LI |
| Macula, maculae | /ˈmækjʊlə/, /ˈmækjʊliː/ | Dark spot, may be irregular | MA |
| Mare, maria | /ˈmɑːriː/ ~ /ˈmɑːreɪ/, /ˈmɑːriə/ | A "sea" or large circular plain on Moon and Mars, e.g. Mare Erythraeum; on Titan, large expanses of dark materials thought to be liquid hydrocarbons, e.g. Ligeia Mare. | ME |
| Mensa, mensae | /ˈmɛnsə/, /ˈmɛnsiː/ | A flat-topped prominence with cliff-like edges, i.e. a mesa. | MN |
| Mons, montes | /ˈmɒnz/, /ˈmɒntiːz/ | Mons refers to a mountain. Montes refers to a mountain range. | MO |
| Oceanus | /oʊʃiːˈaɪnəs/ | Very large dark area. The only feature with this designation is Oceanus Procellarum. | OC |
| Palus, paludes | /ˈpeɪləs/, /pəˈlʲuːdiːz/ | "Swamp"; small plain. Used on the Moon and Mars. | PA |
| Patera, paterae | /ˈpætərə/, /ˈpætəriː/ | Irregular crater, or a complex one with scalloped edges e.g. Ah Peku Patera. Usually refers to the dish-shaped depression atop a volcano. | PE |
| Planitia, planitiae | /pləˈnɪʃⁱə/, /pləˈnɪʃⁱiː/ | Low plain e.g. Amazonis Planitia. | PL |
| Planum, plana | /ˈpleɪnəm/, /ˈpleɪnə/ | A plateau or high plain e.g. Planum Boreum. | PM |
| Plume | A cryovolcanic feature on Triton. This term is currently unused. | PU | |
| Promontorium, promontoria | /prɒmənˈtɔəriəm/, /prɒmənˈtɔəriə/ | "Cape"; headland. Used only on the Moon. | PR |
| Regio, regiones | /ˈriːdʒⁱoʊ/ ~ /ˈrɛdʒⁱoʊ/, /rɛdʒiˈoʊniːz/ | Large area marked by reflectivity or color distinctions from adjacent areas, or a broad geographic region | RE |
| Reticulum, reticula | /rᵻˈtɪkjʊləm/, /rᵻˈtɪkjʊlə/ | reticular (netlike) pattern on Venus | RT |
| Rima, rimae | /ˈraɪmə/, /ˈraɪmiː/ | Fissure. Used only on the Moon. | RI |
| Rupes, rupes | /ˈruːpiːz/ | Scarp | RU |
| Satellite feature | A feature that shares the name of an associated feature, for example Hertzsprung D. | SF | |
| Scopulus, scopuli | /ˈskɒpjʊlə/, /ˈskɒpjʊlaɪ/ | Lobate or irregular scarp | SC |
| Serpens, serpentes | /ˈsɜːrpɛnz/, /sərˈpɛntiːz/ | Sinuous feature with segments of positive and negative relief along its length | SE |
| Sinus | /ˈsaɪnəs/ | "Bay"; small plain on Moon or Mars, e.g. Sinus Meridiani; On Titan, bay within bodies of liquid. | SI |
| Sulcus, sulci | /ˈsʌlkəs/, /ˈsʌlsaɪ/ | Subparallel furrows and ridges | SU |
| Terra, terrae | /ˈtɛrə/, /ˈtɛriː/ | Extensive land mass e.g. Arabia Terra, Aphrodite Terra. | TA |
| Tessera, tesserae | /ˈtɛsərə/, /ˈtɛsəriː/ | An area of tile-like, polygonal terrain. This term is used only on Venus. | TE |
| Tholus, tholi | /ˈθoʊləs/, /ˈθoʊlaɪ/ | Small domical mountain or hill e.g. Hecates Tholus. | TH |
| Undae | /ˈʌndiː/ | A field of dunes. Used on Venus, Mars and Titan. | UN |
| Vallis, valles | /ˈvælᵻs/, /ˈvæliːz/ | A valley e.g. Valles Marineris. | VA |
| Vastitas, vastitates | /ˈvæstᵻtəs/, /væstᵻˈteɪtiːz/ | An extensive plain. The only feature with this designation is Vastitas Borealis. | VS |
| Virga, virgae | /ˈvɜːrɡə/, /ˈvɜːrdʒiː/ | A streak or stripe of color. This term is currently used only on Titan. | VI |
Categories for naming features on planets and satellites
Mercury
| Feature type | Current list | Naming convention |
|---|---|---|
| Craters | list [1] | Famous deceased artists, musicians, painters, authors |
| Dorsa | list [2] | Astronomers who made detailed studies of the planet |
| Fossae | list [3] | Significant works of architecture |
| Montes | list [4] | Words for "hot" in various languages. Only one mountain is currently named: Caloris Montes, from Latin word for "heat" |
| Planitiae | list [5] | Names for Mercury (either planet or god) in various languages |
| Rupēs | list [6] | Ships of discovery or scientific expeditions |
| Valles | list [7] | Radio telescope facilities |
Venus
All but three features on Venus are named after females. These three exceptions were named before the convention was adopted, being respectively Alpha Regio, Beta Regio, and Maxwell Montes which is named after James Clerk Maxwell.
| Feature type | Current list | Naming convention |
|---|---|---|
| Astra | none [8] | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Chasmata | list [9] | Goddesses of hunt; moon goddesses |
| Colles | list [10] | Sea goddesses |
| Coronae | list [11] | Fertility and earth goddesses |
| Craters | list [12] | Over 20 km; famous women; under 20 km, common female first names |
| Dorsa | list [13] | Sky goddesses |
| Farra | list [14] | Water goddesses |
| Fluctūs | list [15] | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Fossae | list [16] | Goddesses of war |
| Labyrinthi | list [17] | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Lineae | list [18] | Goddesses of war |
| Montes | list [19] | Goddesses, miscellaneous (also one radar scientist) |
| Paterae | list [20] | Famous women |
| Planitiae | list [21] | Mythological heroines |
| Plana | list [22] | Goddesses of prosperity |
| Regiones | list [23] | Giantesses and Titanesses (also two Greek alphanumeric) |
| Rupēs | list [24] | Goddesses of hearth and home |
| Terrae | list [25] | Goddesses of love |
| Tesserae | list [26] | Goddesses of fate and fortune |
| Tholi | list [27] | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Undae | list [28] | Desert goddesses |
| Valles | list [29] | Word for planet Venus in various world languages (400 km and longer); river goddesses (less than 400 km in length) |
The Moon
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Craters | Craters are generally named after deceased scientists, scholars, artists and explorers who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their field. Additionally, craters in or around Mare Moscoviense are named after deceased Russian cosmonauts and craters in and around Apollo crater are named after deceased American astronauts (see Space accidents and incidents). This convention may be extended if other space-faring countries suffer fatalities in spaceflight. |
| Lacūs, Maria, Paludes, Sinūs | These features are assigned names which are Latin terms describing weather and other abstract concepts. |
| Montes | Montes are named after terrestrial mountain ranges or nearby craters. |
| Rupēs | Rupēs are named after nearby mountain ranges (see above). |
| Valles | Valles are named after nearby features. |
| Others | Features that don't fall into any of the above categories are named after nearby craters. |
Mars and martian satellites
Mars
| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Large craters | Deceased scientists who have contributed to the study of Mars; writers and others who have contributed to the lore of Mars |
| Small craters | Villages of the world with a population of less than 100,000. |
| Large valles | Name for Mars/star in various languages |
| Small valles | Classical or modern names of rivers |
| Other features | From nearest named albedo feature on Schiaparelli or Antoniadi maps. See Classical albedo features on Mars for a list. |
When space probes have landed on Mars, individual small features such as rocks, dunes, and hollows have often been given informal names. Many of these are frivolous: features have been named after ice cream (such as Cookies N Cream); cartoon characters (such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick); and '70s music acts (such as ABBA and the Bee Gees).[4]
Deimos
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Features on Deimos are named after authors who wrote about Martian satellites. There are currently two named features on Deimos - Swift crater and Voltaire crater - after Jonathan Swift and Voltaire who predicted the presence of Martian moons.
Phobos
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All features on Phobos are named after scientists involved with the discovery, dynamics, or properties of the Martian satellites or people and places from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.
Satellites of Jupiter
Amalthea
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People and places associated with the Amalthea myth
Thebe
Features on Thebe are named after people and places associated with the Thebe myth. There is only one named feature on Thebe - Zethus Crater.
Io
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Active eruptive centers | Active volcanoes on Io are named after fire, sun or thunder gods or heroes. |
| Catenae | Crater chains are named after Sun gods. |
| Fluctūs | Names of fluctūs are derived from a nearby named feature, fire, sun, thunder or volcano gods, goddesses and heroes or mythical blacksmiths. |
| Mensae, Montes, Plana, Regiones and Tholi | These features can be named after places associated with Io mythology, derived from nearby named features, or places from Dante's Inferno |
| Paterae | Paterae on Io are named after fire, sun, thunder or volcano gods, heroes or goddesses or mythical blacksmiths. |
| Valles | Names of valleys are derived from nearby named features. |
Europa
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Chaos | Places associated with Celtic myths |
| Craters | Celtic gods and heroes |
| Flexūs | Places associated with the Europa myth |
| Large ringed features | Celtic stone circles |
| Lenticulae | Celtic gods and heroes |
| Lineae | People associated with the Europa myth |
| Maculae | Places associated with the Europa myth |
| Regiones | Places associated with Celtic myths |
Ganymede
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Catenae, craters | Gods and heroes of ancient Fertile Crescent people |
| Faculae | Places associated with Egyptian myths |
| Fossae | Gods (or principals) of ancient Fertile Crescent people |
| Paterae | Paterae on Ganymede are named after wadis in the Fertile Crescent. |
| Regiones | Astronomers who discovered Jovian satellites |
| Sulci | Places associated with myths of ancient people |
Callisto
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Large ringed features | Homes of the gods and of heroes |
| Craters | Heroes and heroines from northern myths |
| Catenae | Mythological places in high latitudes |
Satellites of Saturn
Janus
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People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins)
Epimetheus
People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins)
Mimas
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People and places from Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur legends (Baines translation)
Enceladus
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People and places from Burton's Arabian Nights
Tethys
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People and places from Homer's Odyssey
Dione
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People and places from Virgil's Aeneid
Rhea
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People and places from creation myths
Titan
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Albedo features, terrae | Sacred or enchanted places, paradise, or celestial realms from legends, myths, stories, and poems of cultures from around the world |
| Colles | Names of characters from Middle-earth, the fictional setting in fantasy novels by English author J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) |
| Craters and ringed features | Gods and goddesses of wisdom |
| Facula and faculae | Facula: Names of islands on Earth that are not politically independent, Faculae: Names of archipelagos |
| Fluctūs | Gods and goddesses of beauty |
| Flumina | Names of mythical or imaginary rivers |
| Freta | Names of characters from the Foundation series of science fiction novels by American author Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) |
| Insulae | Names of islands from legends and myths |
| Lacūs and lacunae | Lakes on Earth, preferably with a shape similar to the lacus or lacuna on Titan |
| Mare and maria | Sea creatures from myth and literature |
| Montes | Names of mountains and peaks from Middle-earth, the fictional setting in fantasy novels by English author J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) |
| Planitiae and labyrinthi | Names of planets from the Dune series of science fiction novels by American author Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986) |
| Sinūs | Names of terrestrial bays, coves, fjords or other inlets |
| Undae | Gods and goddesses of wind |
| Virgae | Gods and goddesses of rain |
Hyperion
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Sun and Moon deities
Iapetus
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People and places from Sayers' translation of Chanson de Roland, the only exception is Cassini Regio, which is named after its discoverer, Giovanni Cassini.
Phoebe
| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Craters | Craters of Phoebe are named after people associated with Phoebe or people from Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius or Gaius Valerius Flaccus. |
| Other | Non-crater features on Phoebe are named after places from Argonautica. |
Satellites of Uranus
Puck
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Mischievous (Pucklike) spirits (class)
Miranda
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Characters, places from Shakespeare's plays
Ariel
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Light spirits (individual and class)
Umbriel
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Dark spirits (individual)
Titania
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Female Shakespearean characters, places
Oberon
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Shakespearean tragic heroes and places
Small satellites
There are currently no named features on Uranian small satellites, however the naming convention is heroines from plays by Shakespeare and Pope.
Satellites of Neptune
Proteus
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Features on Proteus are to be named after water-related spirits, gods or goddesses who are neither Greek nor Roman. The only named feature on Proteus is Pharos.
Triton
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Geological features on Triton should be assigned aquatic names, excluding those which are Roman and Greek in origin. Possible themes for individual descriptor terms include worldwide aquatic spirits, famous terrestrial fountains or fountain locations, terrestrial aquatic features, famous terrestrial geysers or geyser locations and terrestrial islands.
Nereid
There are currently no named features on Nereid. When features are discovered, they are to be named after individual nereids.
Small satellites
Features on other satellites of Neptune, once discovered, should be named after gods and goddesses associated with Neptune/Poseidon mythology or generic mythological aquatic beings.
Pluto
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Asteroids
243 Ida
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Craters | Caverns and grottos of the world |
| Dorsa | Galileo project participants |
| Regiones | Discoverer of Ida and places associated with the discoverer |
(243) Ida I Dactyl
| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Craters | Idaean dactyls |
951 Gaspra
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Craters | Spas of the world |
| Regiones | Discoverer of Gaspra, and Galileo project participants |
253 Mathilde
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Craters | Coal fields and basins of the world |
433 Eros
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| Feature type | Naming convention |
|---|---|
| Craters | Mythological and legendary names of an erotic nature |
| Regiones | Discoverers of Eros |
| Dorsa | Scientists who have contributed to the exploration and study of Eros |
25143 Itokawa
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See also
- Astronomical naming conventions
- Lists of geological features of the Solar System
- List of adjectivals and demonyms of astronomical bodies
- Naming of moons
- Selenography
- Toponymy, the scientific study of place-names (toponyms), their origins, meanings, use and typology.
Notes
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Listed pronunciations are conventional or follow the traditional English pronunciation of Latin words. However, some speakers use different (often variable) pronunciations that are closer to the Latin or Greek.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
References
The above article incorporates text from the United States Geological Survey Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, which is in the public domain.- Mapping and Naming the Moon: A History of Lunar Cartography and Nomenclature, E. A. Whitaker, 1999, ISBN 0-521-62248-4.
Further reading
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
- 'Planetary Names: How do we come up with them?', Planetary Society weblog article by Rosaly Lopes, IAU WGPSN member
- Members of the WGPSN
- Planetary Maps: Visualization and Nomenclature Cartographica 41/2 2006
- Development of a Local Toponym System at the Mars Desert Research Station Cartographica 42/2 2007
- APTN National News interviews Planetary Cartographer John Koulouris,(Esq.) on I.A.U. officially adopted Planetary Surface Feature Nomenclature attributed to Aboriginal Peoples' Cultures, People and Places
- Planetary Atlas of Venus in the Hellenic (Greek) and English Languages with I.A.U. adopted surface feature nomenclature as of 1984 created by: John A. Koulouris,(Esq.)
