Planetary nomenclature
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Planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is used to uniquely identify a feature on the surface of a planet or natural satellite so that the feature can be easily located, described, and discussed.
How names are approved
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. 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 meets triennially. 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:
- Nomenclature is a tool and the first consideration should be to make it simple, clear, and unambiguous.
- 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 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 channels (valles) on Mars and craters on the Moon, Mars, and Venus; naming conventions for these features differ according to size. The categories for naming features on each planet or satellite (and the exceptions) are listed in Appendix 6. 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 | Description | Designation |
| Albedo Feature | AL | |
| Astrum, astra | Radial-patterned features on Venus | AS |
| Catena, catenae | Chain of craters | CA |
| Cavus, cavi | Hollows, irregular steep-sided depressions usually in arrays or clusters | CB |
| Chaos | Distinctive area of broken terrain | CH |
| Chasma, chasmata | A deep, elongated, steep-sided depression | CM |
| Colles | Small hills or knobs | CO |
| Corona, coronae | Ovoid-shaped feature | CR |
| Crater, craters | A circular depression | AA |
| Dorsum, dorsa | Ridge | DO |
| Eruptive center | Active volcanic centers on Io | ER |
| Facula, faculae | Bright spot | FA |
| Farrum, farra | Pancake-like structure, or a row of such structures | FR |
| Flexus, flex-us | A very low curvilinear ridge with a scalloped pattern | FE |
| Fluctus, fluct-us | Flow terrain | FL |
| Fossa, fossae | Long, narrow, shallow depression | FO |
| Labes, lab-es | Landslide | LA |
| Labyrinthus, labyrinthi | Complex of intersecting valleys | LB |
| Lacus(1) | "Lake"; small plain | LC |
| Landing site name | Lunar features at or near Apollo landing sites | LF |
| Large ringed feature | Cryptic ringed features | LG |
| Lenticula, lenticulae | Small dark spots on Europa | LE |
| Linea, lineae | A dark or bright elongate marking, may be curved or straight | LI |
| Macula, maculae | Dark spot, may be irregular | MA |
| Mare(1), maria | "Sea"; large circular plain | ME |
| Mensa, mensae | A flat-topped prominence with cliff-like edges | MN |
| Mons, montes | Mountain | MO |
| Oceanus(1) | A very large dark area on the moon | OC |
| Palus(1), paludes | "Swamp"; small plain | PA |
| Patera, paterae | An irregular crater, or a complex one with scalloped edges | PE |
| Planitia, planitiae | Low plain | PL |
| Planum, plana | Plateau or high plain | PM |
| Plume | PU | |
| Promontorium(1), promontoria | "Cape"; headland | PR |
| Regio, regiones | A large area marked by reflectivity or color distinctions from adjacent areas, or a broad geographic region | RE |
| Reticulum, reticula | reticular (netlike) pattern on Venus | RT |
| Rima, rimae(1) | Fissure | RI |
| Rupes, rup-es | Scarp | RU |
| Scopulus, scopuli | Lobate or irregular scarp | SC |
| Sinus | "Bay"; small plain | SI |
| Sulcus, sulci | Subparallel furrows and ridges | SU |
| Terra, terrae | Extensive land mass | TA |
| Tessera, tesserae | Tile-like, polygonal terrain | TE |
| Tholus, tholi | Small domical mountain or hill | TH |
| Undae | Dunes | UN |
| Vallis, valles | Valley | VA |
| Vastitas, vastitates | Extensive plain | VS |
(1) Used only on the Moon
Categories for naming features on planets and satellites
Mercury
| Albedo features | list [1] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=1&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Albedo%20Feature&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | |
| Craters | list [2] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=9&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Crater,%20craters&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Famous deceased artists, musicians, painters, authors |
| Dorsa | list [3] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=10&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Dorsum,%20dorsa&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Astronomers who made detailed studies of the planet |
| Montes | list [4] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=27&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Mons,%20montes&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Only one: Caloris Montes, from Latin word for "hot" |
| Planitiae | list [5] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=31&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Planitia,%20planitiae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Names for Mercury (either planet or god) in various languages |
| Rup-es | list [6] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=38&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Rupes,%20rup-es&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Ships of discovery or scientific expeditions |
| Valles | list [7] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=46&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Vallis,%20valles&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Radio telescope facilities |
Venus
| Astra | none [8] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=2&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Astrum,%20astra&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Chasmata | list [9] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=6&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Chasma,%20chasmata&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses of hunt; moon goddesses |
| Colles | list [10] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=7&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Colles&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Sea goddesses |
| Coronae | list [11] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=8&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Corona,%20coronae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Fertility and earth goddesses |
| Craters | list [12] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=9&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Crater,%20craters&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Over 20 km; famous women; under 20 km, common female first
names |
| Dorsa | list [13] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=10&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Dorsum,%20dorsa&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Sky goddesses |
| Farra | list [14] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=13&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Farrum,%20farra&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Water goddesses |
| Fluct-us | list [15] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=15&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Fluctus,%20fluct-us&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Fossae | list [16] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=16&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Fossa,%20fossae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses of war |
| Labyrinthi | list [17] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=18&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Labyrinthus,%20labyrinthi&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Lineae | list [18] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=23&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Linea,%20lineae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses of war |
| Montes | list [19] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=27&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Mons,%20montes&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses, miscellaneous (also one radar scientist) |
| Paterae | list [20] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=30&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Patera,%20paterae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Famous women |
| Planitiae | list [21] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=31&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Planitia,%20planitiae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Mythological heroines |
| Plana | list [22] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=32&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Planum,%20plana&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses of prosperity |
| Regiones | list [23] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=35&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Regio,%20regiones&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Giantesses and Titanesses (also two Greek alphanumeric) |
| Rup-es | list [24] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=38&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Rupes,%20rup-es&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses of hearth and home |
| Terrae | list [25] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=42&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Terra,%20terrae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses of love |
| Tesserae | list [26] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=43&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Tessera,%20tesserae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses of fate and fortune |
| Tholi | list [27] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=44&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Tholus,%20tholi&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Goddesses, miscellaneous |
| Undae | list [28] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=45&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Undae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Desert goddesses |
| Valles | list [29] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=2&bodyID=17&typeID=46&system=Venus&body=Venus&type=Vallis,%20valles&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig) | Word for planet Venus in various world languages (400 km and
longer); river goddesses (less than 400 km in length) |
The Moon
| Craters, Catenae, Dorsa, Rimae | Large craters: famous deceased scientists,
scholars, artists; small craters: common first names. Other features named from nearby craters |
| Lac-us, Maria, Paludes, Sin-us | Latin terms describing weather and other abstract concepts |
| Montes | Terrestrial mountain ranges or nearby craters |
| Rup-es | Names of nearby mountain ranges (terrestrial names) |
| Valles | Name of nearby features |
Mars and martian satellites
Mars
| 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 |
Deimos
Authors who wrote about Martian satellites
Phobos
Scientists involved with the discovery, dynamics, or properties of the Martian satellites
Satellites of Jupiter
Amalthea
People and places associated with the Amalthea myth
Thebe
People and places associated with the Thebe myth
Io
| Active eruptive centers | Fire, sun, thunder gods and heroes |
| Catenae | Sun gods |
| Fluct-us | Name derived from nearby named feature, or fire, sun, thunder, volcano gods, goddesses and heroes, mythical blacksmiths |
| Mensae | People associated with Io myth, derived from nearby feature, or from Dante's Inferno |
| Montes | Places associated with Io myth, derived from nearby feature, or from Dante's Inferno |
| Paterae | Fire, sun, thunder, volcano gods, heroes, goddesses, mythical blacksmiths |
| Plana | Places associated with Io myth, derived from nearby feature, or from Dante's Inferno |
| Regiones | Places associated with Io myth, derived from nearby feature, or from Dante's Inferno |
| Tholi | Places associated with Io myth, derived from nearby feature, or from Dante's Inferno |
Europa
| Chaos | Places associated with Celtic myths |
| Craters | Celtic gods and heroes |
| Flex-us | 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
| Catenae | Gods and heroes of ancient Fertile Crescent people |
| Craters | Gods and heroes of ancient Fertile Crescent people |
| Faculae | Places associated with Egyptian myths |
| Fossae | Gods (or principals) of ancient Fertile Crescent people |
| Regiones | Astronomers who discovered Jovian satellites |
| Sulci | Places associated with myths of ancient people |
Callisto
| 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
People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins)
Epimetheus
People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins)
Mimas
People and places from Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur legends (Baines translation)
Enceladus
People and places from Burton's Arabian Nights
Tethys
People and places from Homer's Odyssey
Dione
People and places from Virgil's Aeneid
Rhea
People and places from creation myths
Titan
- Major bright albedo features
- Sacred or enchanted places from legends, myths, stories, and poems of cultures from around the world
- Major dark albedo features
- Legendary/mythical primordial seas or enchanted waters from world cultures
- Craters (and lakes if present)
- Lakes from all continents on Earth
- Fluvial channels
- Rivers from all continents on Earth
- Other features
- Deities of happiness, peace, and harmony from world cultures
Hyperion
Sun and Moon deities
Iapetus
People and places from Sayers' translation of Chanson de Roland
Phoebe
People associated with Phoebe, islands of the Greek archipelagos
Satellites of Uranus
Puck
Mischievous (Pucklike) spirits (class)
Miranda
Characters, places from Shakespeare's plays
Ariel
Light spirits (individual and class)
Umbriel
Dark spirits (individual)
Titania
Female Shakespearean characters, places
Oberon
Shakespearean tragic heroes and places
Small satellites
Heroines from Shakespeare and Pope
Satellites of Neptune
Proteus
Water-related spirits, gods, goddesses (excluding Greek and Roman names)
Triton
Aquatic names, excluding Roman and Greek. Possible categories include worldwide aquatic spirits, famous terrestrial fountains or fountain locations, terrestrial aquatic features, famous terrestrial geysers or geyser locations, terrestrial islands.
Nereid
Individual nereids
Small satellites
Gods and goddesses associated with Neptune/Poseidon mythology or generic mythological aquatic beings
Pluto
Underworld deities
Asteroids
243 Ida
| Craters | Caverns and grottos of the world |
| Dorsa | Galileo project participants |
| Regiones | Discoverer of Ida and places associated with the discoverer |
Dactyl
| Craters | Idaean dactyls |
951 Gaspra
| Craters | Spas of the world |
| Regiones | Discoverer of Gaspra, and Galileo project participants |
253 Mathilde
| Craters | Coal fields and basins of the world |
433 Eros
| 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 |
Contents adapted from the public domain work United States Geological Survey Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/)
References
- Mapping and Naming the Moon: A History of Lunar Cartography and Nomenclature, E. A. Whitaker, 1999, ISBN 0521622484.