Concept information
Preferred term
lunar mare
Definition
- The lunar maria (singular: mare) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient asteroid impacts on the far side on the Moon that triggered volcanic activity on the opposite (near) side. They were dubbed maria, Latin for 'seas', by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. They are less reflective than the "highlands" as a result of their iron-rich composition, and hence appear dark to the naked eye. The maria cover about 16% of the lunar surface, mostly on the side visible from Earth. The few maria on the far side are much smaller, residing mostly in very large craters. The traditional nomenclature for the Moon also includes one oceanus (ocean), as well as features with the names lacus ('lake'), palus ('marsh'), and sinus ('bay'). The last three are smaller than maria, but have the same nature and characteristics (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_mare)
Broader concept
Entry terms
- lunar maria
In other languages
-
French
URI
http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-XR7B33K0-K
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