CINXE.COM
Planetary Names
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> <html> <head> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/static/images/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="/static/stylesheets/uswds.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="/static/stylesheets/common.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="/static/stylesheets/custom.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="/static/stylesheets/main.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="/static/stylesheets/menu.css" /> <script src="/static/js/jquery-3.6.0.min.js"></script> <script async src="/static/js/uswds-init.min.js"></script> <title>Planetary Names</title> <!-- We participate in the US government's analytics program. See the data at analytics.usa.gov. --> <script async type="text/javascript" src="https://dap.digitalgov.gov/Universal-Federated-Analytics-Min.js?agency=DOI&subagency=USGS" id="_fed_an_ua_tag"></script> </head> <body> <!-- Government Website Banner --> <section class="usa-banner" aria-label="Official website of the United States government" > <div class="usa-accordion"> <header class="usa-banner__header"> <div class="usa-banner__inner"> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <img aria-hidden="true" class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/static/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="" /> </div> <div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto" aria-hidden="true"> <p class="usa-banner__header-text"> An official website of the United States government </p> <p class="usa-banner__header-action">Here鈥檚 how you know</p> </div> <button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default-default" > <span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here鈥檚 how you know</span> </button> </div> </header> <div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default-default" > <div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg"> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/static/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br />A <strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. </p> </div> </div> <div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6"> <img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/static/img/icon-https.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /> <div class="usa-media-block__body"> <p> <strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br />A <strong>lock</strong> ( <span class="icon-lock" ><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" role="img" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false" > <title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title> <desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc> <path fill="#000000" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z" /> </svg> </span >) or <strong>https://</strong> means you鈥檝e safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <!-- Official USGS Header --> <header id="navbar" class="header-nav" role="banner"> <div class="tmp-container"> <div class="header-search"> <a class="logo-header" href="https://www.usgs.gov/" title="Home"> <img src="/static/images/logo.png" style="height: 50px; margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px;" alt="Home" class="img" border="0" /> </a> <form class="usa-search usa-search--small hide-xnarrow" role="search" action="/SearchResults" method="post"> <label class="usa-sr-only" for="header-search-field">Search</label> <input class="usa-input" id="header-search-field" type="search" name="Feature Name" alt="search for a feature by name" placeholder="Search by Feature Name" /> <button class="usa-button" id="nomen-header-search-button" type="submit"> <img src="/static/img/usa-icons-bg/search--white.svg" class="usa-search__submit-icon" alt="Search" /> </button> </form> </div> </div> </header> <header class="usa-header usa-header--extended narrow-only"> <nav aria-label="Primary navigation" class="usa-nav"> <div class="usa-nav__inner"> <button type="button" class="usa-nav__close"> <img src="/static/img/usa-icons/close.svg" role="img" alt="Close" /> </button> <nav class="sidenav-container" aria-label="Side navigation"> <div class="logo-box wide-only"> <div><img height=65 src="/static/images/nomen-logo.png"></div> <div><em class="nomen-name">Gazetteer<br />of Planetary<br />Nomenclature</em></div> </div> <div class="menu-search-box narrow-only"> <form class="usa-search usa-search--small" role="search" action="/SearchResults" method="post"> <label class="usa-sr-only" for="menu-search-field">Search</label> <input class="usa-input" id="menu-search-field" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search by Feature Name" alt="Search by Feature Name" /> <button class="usa-button" id="menu-search-button" type="submit"> <img src="/static/img/usa-icons-bg/search--white.svg" class="usa-search__submit-icon" alt="Search" /> </button> </form> </div> <ul class="usa-sidenav"> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/">Home</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Introduction">About</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Nomenclature">Nomenclature</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Documentation" class="usa-current">Documentation</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist" id="doc-submenu"> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Rules">IAU Rules</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Specifics">Database Fields Descriptions</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Abbreviations">Abbreviations</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/References">References</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Categories">Surface Feature Categories (Themes)</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/DescriptorTerms">Descriptor Terms</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/TargetCoordinates">Target Coordinate Systems</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Website">Help using the Website</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Images">Images and GIS Data</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/AdvancedSearch">Advanced Search</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/FeatureNameRequest">Name Request Instructions</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/News?page=1">News</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> </nav> </header> <div class="topnav-container narrow-only"> <div class="logo-bar"> <img height=48 src="/static/images/nomen-logo.png"> <div class="name-bar"><em class="nomen-name">Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature</em></div> </div> <button class="usa-menu-btn" type="button">Menu</button> </div> <div id="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row" style="flex-direction: column;"> <div class="grid-col"> <div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grid-row"> <div class="grid-col flex-auto wide-only padding-left-10 padding-right-5"> <nav class="sidenav-container" aria-label="Side navigation"> <div class="logo-box wide-only"> <div><img height=65 src="/static/images/nomen-logo.png"></div> <div><em class="nomen-name">Gazetteer<br />of Planetary<br />Nomenclature</em></div> </div> <div class="menu-search-box narrow-only"> <form class="usa-search usa-search--small" role="search" action="/SearchResults" method="post"> <label class="usa-sr-only" for="menu-search-field">Search</label> <input class="usa-input" id="menu-search-field" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search by Feature Name" alt="Search by Feature Name" /> <button class="usa-button" id="menu-search-button" type="submit"> <img src="/static/img/usa-icons-bg/search--white.svg" class="usa-search__submit-icon" alt="Search" /> </button> </form> </div> <ul class="usa-sidenav"> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/">Home</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Introduction">About</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Nomenclature">Nomenclature</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Documentation" class="usa-current">Documentation</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist" id="doc-submenu"> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Rules">IAU Rules</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Specifics">Database Fields Descriptions</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Abbreviations">Abbreviations</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/References">References</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Categories">Surface Feature Categories (Themes)</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/DescriptorTerms">Descriptor Terms</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/TargetCoordinates">Target Coordinate Systems</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Website">Help using the Website</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/Page/Images">Images and GIS Data</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/AdvancedSearch">Advanced Search</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/FeatureNameRequest">Name Request Instructions</a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/News?page=1">News</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> <div class="grid-col usa-prose padding-top-5"> <h2 class="font-heading-lg">Documentation</h2> <p class="font-body-md"> The Documentation tabs provide access to supporting information about the IAU planetary nomenclature system. This information is relevant to understanding essential elements for any name proposal submitted to the IAU and for understanding the information displayed on individual feature name pages, in the search results table, and in the GIS shapefile attribute tables. </p> </div> </div> </div> <script> $("a").addClass("usa-link"); var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-28905790-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'https://ssl') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);})(); </script> <script async src="/static/js/uswds.min.js"></script> </body> <footer class="usa-footer usa-footer usa-footer--big"> <div class="grid-container usa-footer__return-to-top"> <a href="#">Return to top</a> </div> <div class="usa-footer__primary-section"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="tablet:grid-col-12"> <nav class="usa-footer__nav" aria-label="Footer navigation,,"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg"> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible"> <h4 class="usa-footer__primary-link">About</h4> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Introduction">Introduction</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/History">History & References</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Approved">How Names are Approved</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Members">IAU Working Group and Task Group Members</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/FAQ">FAQ</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Acknowledgements">Acknowledgements</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Related_Resources">Related Resources</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Contact_Us">Contact Us</a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-2"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible"> <h4 class="usa-footer__primary-link">Nomenclature</h4> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/MERCURY/target">Mercury</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/VENUS/target">Venus</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/MOON/target">The Moon</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/MARS/system">Mars System</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/ASTEROIDS/system">Asteroids</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/JUPITER/system">Jupiter System</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/SATURN/system">Saturn System</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/URANUS/system">Uranus System</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/NEPTUNE/system">Neptune System</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/PLUTO/system">Pluto System</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Rings">Ring and Ring Gap Nomenclature</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Planets">Planet and Satellite Names, Discoverers, and Themes</a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible"> <h4 class="usa-footer__primary-link">Documentation</h4> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Rules">IAU Rules</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Specifics">Database Fields Descriptions</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Abbreviations">Abbreviations</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/References">References</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Categories">Surface Feature Categories (Themes)</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/DescriptorTerms">Descriptor Terms</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/TargetCoordinates">Target Coordinate Systems</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Website">Help using the Website</a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-2"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible"> <h4 class="usa-footer__primary-link">Images and GIS Data</h4> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Images">Images showing named features</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/mercuryQuadMap">1:5 Million-Scale Maps of Mercury</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/venus1to5m_Radar">Venus 1:5 million-scale Magellan Imagery</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/venus1to10m_Altimetry">Venus 1:10 million-scale Quadrangles</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/Moon1to1MAtlas">1:1 Million-Scale Maps of the Moon</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/moon1to10mShadedRelief">Moon 1:10 million-scale Shaded Relief and Color-coded Topography</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/Page/mars1to5mTHEMIS">Mars 1:5 million-scale THEMIS Images</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/GIS_Downloads">GIS Downloads</a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-2"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible"> <h4 class="usa-footer__primary-link">Other</h4> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/AdvancedSearch">Advanced Search</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/FeatureNameRequest">Name Request Instructions</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/News?page=1">News</a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__secondary-section"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="usa-footer__logo grid-row grid-gap-2 flex-no-wrap"> <div class="usa-footer__logo grid-row mobile-lg:grid-col-6 mobile-lg:grid-gap-2"> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-auto"> <img class="usa-footer__logo-img" src="/static/images/nomen-logo.png" alt="usgs-logo" /> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-auto"> <p class="usa-footer__logo-heading line-height-sans-3"> <a class="text-no-underline" href="https://www.usgs.gov/centers/astrogeology-science-center">USGS Astrogeology Science Center</a> <br/> <a class="text-no-underline font-body-sm" href="http://www.nasa.gov">The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)</a> <br/> <a class="text-no-underline font-body-sm" href="http://iau.org">International Astronomical Union (IAU)</a> </p> </div> </div> <div class="grid-col-6"> <p> The Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature website is maintained by the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/centers/astrogeology-science-center/" title="astro">USGS Astrogeology Science Center</a>. This work is performed on behalf of the <a href="http://iau.org" title="iau">International Astronomical Union's</a> Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature and is supported by the <a href="http://www.nasa.gov" title="nasa">National Aeronautics and Space Administration</a> under an Interagency Agreement. </p> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__logo grid-row grid-gap-2"> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a href="/Page/Contact_Us">Contact Us</a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a href="/login?">Administrator Log In</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <!-- REQUIRED Official USGS Footer ** DO NOT ALTER ** --> <footer class="footer"> <div class="tmp-container"> <div class="footer-doi"> <ul class="menu nav"> <li class="first leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.doi.gov/privacy">DOI Privacy Policy</a></li> <li class="leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.usgs.gov/policies-and-notices">Legal</a></li> <li class="leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.usgs.gov/accessibility-and-us-geological-survey">Accessibility</a></li> <li class="leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.usgs.gov/sitemap">Site Map</a></li> <li class="last leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://answers.usgs.gov/">Contact USGS</a></li> </ul> </div> <hr> <div class="footer-doi"> <ul class="menu nav"> <li class="first leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.doi.gov/">U.S. Department of the Interior</a></li> <li class="leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.doioig.gov/">DOI Inspector General</a></li> <li class="leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/">White House</a></li> <li class="leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/egov/">E-gov</a></li> <li class="leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.doi.gov/pmb/eeo/no-fear-act">No Fear Act</a></li> <li class="last leaf menu-links menu-level-1"><a href="https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/foia">FOIA</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="footer-social-links"> <ul class="social"> <li class="follow">Follow</li> <li class="twitter"> <a href="https://twitter.com/usgs" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-twitter-square"><span class="only">Twitter</span></i> </a> </li> <li class="facebook"> <a href="https://facebook.com/usgeologicalsurvey" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-facebook-square"><span class="only">Facebook</span></i> </a> </li> <li class="github"> <a href="https://github.com/usgs" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-github"><span class="only">GitHub</span></i> </a> </li> <li class="flickr"> <a href="https://flickr.com/usgeologicalsurvey" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-flickr"><span class="only">Flickr</span></i> </a> </li> <li class="youtube"> <a href="http://youtube.com/usgs" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-youtube-play"><span class="only">YouTube</span></i> </a> </li> <li class="instagram"> <a href="https://instagram.com/usgs" target="_blank"> <i class="fa fa-instagram"><span class="only">Instagram</span></i> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </footer> </html>