List of geological features on Titan

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This is a list of named geological features on Saturn's moon Titan. Official names for these features have only been announced very recently, as Titan's surface was virtually unknown before the arrival of the Cassini probe. Some features were known by informal nicknames beforehand; these names are noted where appropriate.

Contents

[edit] Albedo features

Albedo features on Titan are named after sacred or enchanted places in world mythologies and literature.

[edit] Bright albedo features

Albedo feature Named after
Adiri Adiri, Melanesian paradise.
Dilmun Dilmun, Sumerian heaven.
Quivira Quivira, legendary city in southwestern America
Tsegihi Tsegihi, Navajo sacred place.
Xanadu Xanadu, an imaginary country in Coleridge's Kubla Khan.

[edit] Dark albedo features

Albedo feature Named after Informal name
Aaru Aaru, Egyptian paradise.
Aztlan Aztlán, mythical Aztec homeland. Southern part of 'Lying H'
Belet Belet, Malay paradise.
Ching-tu Ching-tu, Chinese Buddhist paradise.
Fensal Fensal, Norse heavenly mansion Northern part of 'Lying H'
Mezzoramia Mezzoramia, Italian legend of oasis of happiness in Africa.
Senkyo Senkyo, Japanese paradise.
Shangri-la Shangri-La, Tibetan paradise.

[edit] Arcūs

Titanian arcūs (arc-shaped features) are named after deities of happiness.

Albedo feature Named after
Hotei Arcus Hotei, Japanese god

[edit] Craters

Craters on Titan are named after deities of wisdom.

Crater Named after Informal name
Mernva Mernva, Etruscan goddess 'Circus Maximus'
Sinlap Sinlap, Kachin spirit

[edit] Faculae

Faculae (bright spots) are named after islands on Earth that are not politically independent. Groups of faculae are named after archipelagos on Earth.

Facula Named after Informal name
Antilia Faculae Antillia, mythical Atlantic archipelago
Bazaruto Facula Bazaruto, Mozambique island
Coats Facula Coats Island, Canada
Crete Facula Crete, Greek island
Elba Facula Elba, Italian island
Kerguelen Facula Kerguelen Islands, French subantarctic island
Mindanao Facula Mindanao, Philippine island 'Ireland'
Nicobar Faculae Nicobar Islands, Indian archipelago
Oahu Facula Oahu, Hawaiian island
Santorini Facula Santorini, Greek island
Shikoku Facula Shikoku, Japanese island 'Great Britain'
Texel Facula Texel, Dutch island 'Manhattan'
Tortola Facula Tortola, British Virgin Islands 'The Snail'
Vis Facula Vis, Croatian island

[edit] Laci

There is one named lacus (small plain or possibly methane lake) on Titan. Laci are named after lakes on Earth.

Lacus Named after
Ontario Lacus Lake Ontario, Canada

[edit] Maculae

Titanian maculae (dark spots) are named after deities of happiness, peace, and harmony in world mythology.

Macula Named after
Eir Macula Eir, Norse goddess.
Elpis Macula Elpis, Greek god.
Ganesa Macula Ganesa, Hindu god.
Omacatl Macula Omacatl, Aztec god.

[edit] Ring features

Large ring features are named after deities of wisdom in world mythology.

Ring feature Named after
Guabonito Guabonito, Taíno sea goddess
Nath Irish goddess of wisdom
Veles Veles, Slavic god

[edit] Virgae

Virgae (streaks of colour) are named after rain gods in world mythologies.

Virga Named after
Hobal Virga Hobal, Arabian rain god.
Kalseru Virga Kalseru, Australian Aborigine rain god.
Shiwanni Virgae Shiwanni, Zuni rain god.

[edit] Other features

Naming procedures for other features have been agreed, but no specific names have yet been decided on.

  • Flumina (river-like features) will be named after mythical or imaginary rivers.
  • Other features will be named after deities of happiness, peace, and harmony in world cultures.

[edit] Informal names for unnamed features

Because the exact nature of many surface features remain mysterious, a number of features have not yet received formal names and are known by nicknames. In most cases, indications of brightness and darkness refer not to visible light, but to the infrared images used to look through Titan's obscuring haze. Cassini has also begun to map portions of Titan using radar.

  • 'The Sickle': a large, dark, sickle-shaped region identified by the Hubble Space Telescope.
  • 'Dog and Ball', 'Dragon's Head': large, dark, roughly equatorial regions identified by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, named for their distinctive shapes.
  • 'Si-Si the Cat': a region that appears dark in radar images, named after a researcher's daughter who said it looked like a cat.

[edit] External links

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