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Annotated map of Pluto. Meng-p'o Macula and Yutu Linea are split across the edges of the map.

The geological features on Pluto are being identified by scientists working with data from the New Horizons spacecraft. The International Astronomical Union has determined that the names for these features will be chosen from the following themes:[1]

  1. Names for the underworld from the world's mythologies.
  2. Gods, goddesses, and dwarfs associated with the underworld.
  3. Heroes and other explorers of the underworld.
  4. Writers associated with Pluto and the Kuiper belt.
  5. Scientists and engineers associated with Pluto and the Kuiper belt.

The following is a list of unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team but not yet approved by the IAU.[2] Themes in parentheses do not correspond with the ones above.

Cavi

A cavus is a hollow or steep-sided depression. One cavus has been identified on Pluto thus far; it is named after a mythological underworld.

Feature Named after
Quidlivun Cavus The land on the Moon where the souls of the dead find rest in Inuit mythology

Colles

Plutonian colles (ranges of low hills) are being named after spacecraft that operated in earth orbit.

Feature Named after
Astrid Colles The Astrid program, Sweden's first satellites
Challenger Colles Honours the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger
Coleta de Dados Colles Satélite de Coleta de Dados, first Brazilian satellites
Columbia Colles Honours the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia
Soyuz Colles The Soyuz program; honors the loss of Soyuz 11

Dorsae

A dorsa is a ridge. Plutonian dorsae are being named after underworlds in mythology.

Feature Named after
Pandemonium Dorsa Pandæmonium, the capital of Hell in the poems of John Milton
Tartarus Dorsa Tartarus, the pit of hell in Greek mythology

Fossae

A fossa is a ditch-like feature. Plutonian fossae are being named after figures associated with underworld myths.

Feature Named after
Beatrice Fossa Beatrice Portinari, Purgatory to Heaven in The Divine Comedy
Djanggawul Fossae Djanggawul, Yolngu creation figures from the Island of the Dead
Dumuzi Fossa Dumuzid, legendary Sumerian king who replaced his wife Inanna in the underworld
Inanna Fossa Inanna, Sumerian queen who descended to the underworld
Sleipnir Fossa Sleipnir, the steed Odin rides to the underworld
Sun Wukong Fossa Sun Wukong, the Chinese Monkey King who went to Hell
Virgil Fossa Virgil, as Dante's guide through Hell and Purgatory in The Divine Comedy

Maculae

A macula is a dark spot. Plutonian maculae are being named after underworld creatures from fiction and mythology.

Feature Named after
Ala Macula Ala, an Igbo god of the underworld
Balrog Macula balrog, an underground demon in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien
Cadejo Macula cadejo, from Central American folklore
Hun-Came Macula One of the two leading Maya death gods from the Popol Vuh
Krun Macula Krun, the Mandaean overlord of the underworld
Meng-p'o Macula Meng Po, the Chinese goddess of forgetfulness after death
Morgoth Macula Morgoth, a figure of evil in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien
Vucub-Came Macula One of the two leading Maya death gods from the Popol Vuh

Montes

A mons is a mountain. Plutonian montes (mountain ranges) are being named after explorers and adventurers.

Feature Named after
al-Idrisi Montes Muhammad al-Idrisi, medieval Almoravid explorer
Baré Montes Jeanne Baré, first woman to circumnavigate the Earth
Hillary Montes Edmund Hillary, first to scale Mount Everest (with Tenzing Norgay)
Norgay Montes Tenzing Norgay, first to scale Mount Everest (with Edmund Hillary)
Zheng He Montes Zheng He, medieval Chinese explorer

Plana

A planum is a plateau or high plain. Only one has been identified thus far on Pluto; it is named after a space probe.

Feature Named after
Sputnik Planum Sputnik 1, the first satellite to orbit the Earth

Regiones

A regio is a region geographically distinct from its surroundings. Plutonian regiones are being named after underworld spirits in fiction and mythology, or after scientists associated with the study of Pluto.

Feature Named after
Cthulhu Regio Cthulhu, an ancient underworld deity in the writings of H.P. Lovecraft
Lowell Regio Percival Lowell, whose ideas about Planet X inadvertently led to Pluto's discovery
Tombaugh Regio Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto

Terrae

A terra is an extensive landmass. Plutonian terrae are being named after space probes.

Feature Named after
Hayabusa Terra Hayabusa, the first spacecraft to return a sample of an asteroid
Pioneer Terra the Pioneer program, the first spacecraft to explore the outer Solar System
Venera Terra the Venera program, first landers on Venus
Viking Terra the Viking program, landers on Mars
Voyager Terra the Voyager program, the first probes to Uranus, Neptune and interstellar space

Valley

A vallis is a valley. One valley on Pluto has been identified thus far; it is named after an explorer.

Feature Named after
Kupe Vallis Kupe, legendary discoverer of New Zealand

Craters

Feature Named after Theme
Brinton Crater Henry Brinton, NASA administrator instrumental in Pluto studies scientist
Burney Crater Venetia Burney, who proposed the name of Pluto —
Coradini Crater Angioletta Coradini, Italian astronomer scientist
Drake Crater Michael Julian Drake, British-American astronomer who chaired the committee that approved the New Horizons mission scientist
Elliot Crater James L. Elliot, discoverer of Pluto's atmosphere scientist
Farinella Crater Paolo Farinella, Italian astronomer scientist
Giclas Crater Henry L. Giclas, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory scientist
Guest Crater John Guest,[3] British volcanologist and planetary scientist scientist
H. Smith Crater Harlan Smith, astronomer and director of McDonald Observatory scientist
Harrington Crater Robert Sutton Harrington, co-discoverer of Charon scientist
Hollis Crater Andrew J. Hollis, British astronomer scientist
K. Edgeworth Crater Kenneth Edgeworth, Irish astronomer who posited the Kuiper Belt scientist
Kowal Crater Charles T. Kowal, American astronomer who discovered the first centaur scientist
Oort Crater Jan Oort, Dutch astronomer who posited the Oort Cloud scientist
Pulfrich Crater Carl Pulfrich, German physicist who developed the blink-comparator used to discover Pluto scientist
Safronov Crater Viktor Safronov, Russian astronomer scientist
Simonelli Crater Damon Simonelli, American astronomer and Pluto geologist scientist

Lineae and escarpments

Feature Named after Theme
Chandrayaan Linea the Chandrayaan program, India's first lunar probes lunar exploration
Cousteau Rupes Jacques Cousteau, undersea explorer who invented scuba gear explorer
Eriksson Rupes Leif Erikson, first Norse explorer of America explorer
Luna Linea the Luna program, the first spacecraft to visit the Moon lunar exploration
Yutu Linea Yutu, the first Chinese lunar rover lunar exploration

See also

References

  1. ^ Naming of Astronomical Objects, by UAI
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/About/History/Obituaries-2001-onwards/Obituaries-2012/John-Edward-Guest
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