USGS Astrogeology Hot Topics

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved 12 new names for small craters on the Moon: Albert, Borya, Gena, Igor, Kolya, Kostya, Leonid, Nikolya, Slava, Valera, Vasya, and Vitya. For details, see the map of LAC 24 and the Lunokhod-1 traverse map in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 12:56

On June 4, 2012, coordinates of the named features in the lunar portion of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature were updated. Previous coordinates were based on maps using the Unified Lunar Control Network (ULCN) 2005 coordinate reference frame. The new coordinates are derived from maps made in a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) coordinate reference frame. These reference frames are referred to the mean Earth/polar axis reference coordinate system for the Moon. The updated coordinates will facilitate the identification of named lunar features on images derived from LOLA topography. Dots representing the center coordinates of named features should fall in the centers of the features when displayed on any map product based on a LOLA reference frame.

The extents and sizes of named features were also updated; these data are approximate and are intended solely to give the user sufficient information to identify named features and their rough extents. A link to a more precise lunar crater database (now in preparation) by D.T.W. Buckingham, B. Salimkumar, and N.G. Barlow will be provided when available.

This new set of coordinates was derived using ArcMap version 10.0 as a display tool, a lunar hillshade image based on LOLA topography (LDEM_128.jp2, 128 pixels/degree or 237 m/pixel, released December 2011, http://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/lro/lola.htm), the underlying LOLA coordinate reference frame used in the creation of that topographic model, and a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) image mosaic (released November 2011, http://wms.lroc.asu.edu/lroc/global_product/100_mpp_global_bw). Feature boundaries were determined using both images, but the features were aligned to the LOLA hillshade image where there were slight discrepancies.

We greatly appreciate being able to use these high quality, high resolution products of the LRO LOLA and Camera (LROC) instrument teams, and recognize and acknowledge the substantial, lengthy, and difficult work that was done by the LRO Project Team and Mission, the LRO development team, and the LRO Science Operations Center that made the creation of these products possible.

The lunar portion of the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature web site now displays feature coordinates in the LOLA reference frame. The original coordinates (from unknown sources) and the ULCN 2005 coordinates are retained in the gazetteer and can be viewed by gazetteer users by selecting the desired coordinate set from a dropdown menu on the feature pages. The “Unknown” and ULCN 2005 based coordinates are now considered archival and will not be updated with new names or changes to approved names.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 12:23

The IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the names Aeolis Mons, Aeolis Palus, and Robert Sharp. For more information, see the maps of MC-22 and MC-23 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 09:05

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved names for 23 craters and one regio on asteroid (2867) Steins. For details, see the list of Steins feature names and the image of Steins in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 10:00

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved 23 new names for craters on Mercury. For details, see the list of Mercury feature names and the images of Mercury in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 13:33

The IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name Lev for the small lunar crater located at 12.7N, 62.2E. For more information, see the map of LAC 62 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 13:49

The IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name Keren for the Martian crater located at 20.98N, 337.5E. For more information, see the map of MC-11 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 07:18

The IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name Domoni for the Martian crater located at 51.38N, 234.39E. For more information, see the map of MC-2 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 10:52

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved 21 new names for craters on Vesta. For details, see the list of Vesta feature names and the image of Vesta in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 14:30

The name Stieglitz has been approved for a crater on Mercury. For more information, see the map of Mercury quadrangle H-1 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 06:47

The names Arima and Baucau have been approved for craters on Mars. For more information, see the map of Mars quadrangle MC-18 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 10:32

The name Sinai Fossae has been approved for the Martian fossae located at 14.0S, 281.0E. For more information, see the gazetteer page for Sinai Fossae and the map of MC-18 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 07:35

The IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved names for three terrae (Garotman, Tollan, and Yalaing Terrae) and two regiones (Concordia and Hetpet Regiones) on Titan. For details, see the list of Titan feature names in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 09:26

The name Havel Vallis has been approved for the Martian vallis located at 1.0N, 302.5E. For more information, see the web page for Havel Vallis and the map of MC-10 in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 08:33

The Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved names for seven craters, two fossae, one tholus, one terra, one planitia, and two rupēs on Vesta. For details, see the list of Vesta feature names and the image of Vesta in the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Coordinates for these names are in a system used by the Dawn Team.

Posted by Jennifer Blue in Planetary Nomenclature at 09:10