Planetary Nomenclature

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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.

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 International Astronomical Union task group (a commonly accepted planet-naming group). Later, as higher image resolution images and maps become available, additional features are named at the request of investigators mapping or describing specific surfaces, features, or geology 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 cartography 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. (Note: Apparently this only goes for religions that are widely practiced today, since gods and goddesses of ancient and/or non-monotheistic religions are obviously acceptable to the IAU.)

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 (moon) and Triton (moon) 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) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature! Description! Designation|-| Albedo feature| AS|-| [Catena| Chain of craters| CA|-| Cavus| Hollows, irregular steep-sided depressions usually in arrays or clusters| CB|-| Chaos| Distinctive area of broken terrain| CH|-| Chasma, chasmata| Deep, elongated, steep-sided depression| CM|-| Colles| Small hills or knobs| CO|-| Corona (planetary geology)| Ovoid feature| CR|-| Impact crater| Circular depression| AA|-| Dorsum, dorsa| Ridge| DO|-| Eruptive center| Active volcanic centers on Io (moon)| ER|-| Facula| Bright spot| FA|-| Farrum, farra| Pancake-like structure, or a row of such structures| FR|-| Flexus| Very low curvilinear ridge with a scalloped pattern| FE|-| Fluctus, fluctūs| Terrain covered by outflow from a volcano.]| Long, narrow, shallow depression| FO|-| Labes, labēs| Landslide| LA|-| Labyrinthus, labyrinthi| Complex of intersecting valleys| LB|-| LacusUsed only on the Moon landing sites| LF|-| Large ringed feature| Cryptic ringed features| LG|-| Lenticula, lenticulae| Small dark spots on [Europa (moon)| LE|-| Linea, lineae| Dark or bright elongate marking, may be curved or straight| LI|-| Macula, maculae| Dark spot, may be irregular| MA|-| Lunar mare, maria| "Sea"; large circular plain| ME|-| Mensa, mensae| Flat-topped prominence with cliff-like edges| MN|-| Mons, montes| Mountain| MO|-| Oceanus| Very large dark area on the moon| OC|-| Palus, paludes| "Swamp"; small plain| PA|-| Patera, paterae| 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, promontoria| "Cape"; headland| PR|-| Regio, regiones| 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| Fissure| RI|-| Rupes, rupēes| 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|}

Categories for naming features on planets and satellites Mercury (planet) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Current list! Naming convention|-| Albedo features| List of albedo features on Mercury | ??|-| Craters| List of craters on Mercury |Famous deceased artists, musicians, painters, authors|-| Dorsa| List of dorsa on Mercury | Astronomers who made detailed studies of the planet|-| Montes| List of mountains on Mercury | Only one: Caloris Montes, from Latin word for "heat"] | Names for Mercury (either planet or god) in various languages|-| Rupēs| List of rupes on Mercury | Ships of discovery or scientific expeditions|-| Valles| List of valles on Mercury |Radio telescope facilities|}

Venus (planet) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Current list! Naming convention|-| Astra| none | Goddesses, miscellaneous|-| Chasmata| List of chasmata on Venus | Goddesses of hunt; moon goddesses|-| Colles| List of colles on Venus | Sea goddesses|-| Coronae| List of coronae on Venus | Fertility and earth goddesses|-| Craters| List of craters on Venus | Over 20 km; famous women; under 20 km, common female first names|-| Dorsa| List of dorsa on Venus | Sky goddesses|-| Farra| List of farra on Venus | Water goddesses|-| Fluctūs| List of fluct-us on Venus | Goddesses, miscellaneous|-| Fossae| List of fossae on Venus | Goddesses of war|-| Labyrinthi| List of labyrinthi on Venus | Goddesses, miscellaneous|-| Lineae| List of lineae on Venus | Goddesses of war|-| Montes| List of montes on Venus | Goddesses, miscellaneous (also one radar scientist)|-| Paterae| List of paterae on Venus | Famous women|-| Planitiae| List of planitiae on Venus | Mythological heroines|-| Plana| List of plana on Venus | Goddesses of prosperity|-| Regiones| List of regiones on Venus | Giantesses and Titanesses (also two Greek alphanumeric)|-| Rupēs| List of rup-es on Venus | Goddesses of hearth and home|-| Terrae| List of terrae on Venus | Goddesses of love|-| Tesserae| List of tesserae on Venus | Goddesses of fate and fortune|-| Tholi| List of tholi on Venus | Goddesses, miscellaneous|-| Undae| List of undae on Venus | Desert goddesses|-| Valles| List of valles on Venus | Word for planet Venus in various world languages (400 km and longer); river goddesses (less than 400 km in length)|}

The Moon {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-| Craters, Catenae, Dorsa, Rimae| Large craters: famous deceased scientists, scholars, artists; small craters: common first names. Other features named from nearby craters|-| Lacūs, Maria, Paludes, Sinūs| Latin terms describing weather and other abstract concepts|-| Montes| Terrestrial mountain ranges or nearby craters|-| Rupēs| Names of nearby mountain ranges (terrestrial names)|-| Valles| Name of nearby features|}

Mars and martian satellites Mars (planet) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! 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 Giovanni Schiaparelli or Eugene Antoniadi maps|}

When space probes have landed on Mars, individual small features such as rocks, dunes, and hollows have often been given List of rocks on Mars. 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 musicians (such as ABBA, the Bee Gees and Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)).

Deimos (moon) Authors who wrote about Martian satellites

Phobos (moon) Scientists involved with the discovery, dynamics, or properties of the Martian satellites

Satellites of Jupiter (planet) Amalthea (moon) People and places associated with the Amalthea myth

Thebe (moon) People and places associated with the Thebe myth

Io (moon) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-| Active eruptive centers| Fire, sun, thunder gods and heroes|-| Catenae| Sun gods|-| Fluctūs| 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 (moon) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! 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 (moon) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-| 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 (moon) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! 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 (planet) Janus (moon) People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins)

Epimetheus (moon) People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins)

Mimas (moon) People and places from Thomas Malory Le Morte d'Arthur legends (Baines translation)

Enceladus (moon) People and places from Burton's Arabian Nights

Tethys (moon) People and places from Homer's Odyssey

Dione (moon) People and places from Virgil's Aeneid

Rhea (moon) People and places from creation myths

Titan (moon) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-| 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 (moon) Sun and Moon deities

Iapetus (moon) People and places from Sayers' translation of Chanson de Roland

Phoebe (moon) People associated with Phoebe, islands of the Greek archipelagos

Satellites of Uranus (planet) Puck (moon) Mischievous (Pucklike) spirits (class)

Miranda (moon) Characters, places from Shakespeare's plays

Ariel (moon) Light spirits (individual and class)

Umbriel (moon) Dark spirits (individual)

Titania (moon) Female Shakespearean characters, places

Oberon (moon) Shakespearean tragic heroes and places

Small satellites Heroines from Shakespeare and Pope

Satellites of Neptune (planet) Proteus (moon) Water-related spirits, gods, goddesses (excluding Greek and Roman names)

Triton (moon) 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 (moon) Individual nereids

Small satellites Gods and goddesses associated with Neptune/Poseidon mythology or generic mythological aquatic beings

Pluto (planet) Underworld deities

Asteroids 243 Ida {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-| Craters| Caverns and grottos of the world|-| Dorsa| Galileo spacecraft participants|-| Regiones| Discoverer of Ida and places associated with the discoverer|}

Dactyl (asteroid) {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-|Craters|Idaean dactyls|}

951 Gaspra {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-|Craters|Spas of the world|-|Regiones|Discoverer of Gaspra, and Galileo spacecraft participants|}

253 Mathilde {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! Feature type! Naming convention|-|Craters|Coal fields and basins of the world|}

433 Eros {| class="wikitable"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"! 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|}

References

The above tables were adapted from the public domain work United States Geological Survey Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature
Mapping and Naming the Moon: A History of Lunar Cartography and Nomenclature, E. A. Whitaker, 1999, ISBN 0-521-62248-4.

External links

'Planetary Names: How do we come up with them?', Planetary Society weblog article by Rosaly Lopes, IAU WGPSN member
Members of the WGPSN