Tranquility Base (Latin: Statio Tranquillitatis) was the name given by American astronaut Neil Armstrong to the landing site on the moon where the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle made the first moon landing.[1] The lunar coordinates of Tranquility Base are 00°41′15″N, 23°26′00″E, which is located in the south-western corner of the lunar plain called the Sea of Tranquility (Mare Tranquillitatis) near the craters Sabine and Ritter, and a rille unofficially called 'U.S. Highway Number 1'.
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Armstrong appears to have created the name on his own. His use of "Tranquility Base" surprised NASA Mission Control personnel, who had not heard it before. During simulations, the crew always referred to itself as "Eagle" before and after landing.[2]
Unlike most names bestowed on lunar landmarks by Apollo astronauts, the International Astronomical Union officially recognizes the designation 'Tranquility Base'. It is listed on lunar maps as Statio Tranquillitatis, in order to fit with the Latin names that are ubiquitous on lunar maps.