Mare Desiderii

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Mare Desiderii ("Sea of Dreams") was an area of the Moon named after Luna 3 returned the first pictures of the far side. This name is derived from the Russian Море Мечты, Mechta ("Dream") being the original name for the Luna 1 spacecraft.

This feature was later found to be composed of a smaller mare, Mare Ingenii (Sea of Ingenuity), and other dark craters. Today the IAU does not recognise the name Mare Desiderii.

[edit] References

• Stooke, Philip J. (2007). The International Atlas of Lunar Exploration. Cambridge University Press, p. 17. ISBN 9780521819305. 
• US Geological Survey. Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/