Borealis Planitia /bɒrˈɪs pləˈnɪʃiə/ is a large plain on Mercury[1] with a smooth floor, thought to be similar to a lunar mare.[2] It is centered at 73.4° N, 79.5° W. The name is Latin for Northern Plain.

Borealis Planitia
Part of Borealis Planitia, photographed by MESSENGER
PlanetMercury
Coordinates73°24′N 79°30′W / 73.4°N 79.5°W / 73.4; -79.5
QuadrangleBorealis
EponymLatin for "Northern Plain"
Typical Borealis Planitia, north of the crater Monteverdi

References edit

  1. ^ "Borealis Planitia". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/NASA/USGS. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. ^ Topographic Features and Surface History, Atlas of Mercury (NASA SP-423), 1976