IAU descriptor term
Maria in the Solar System
Mare is the term planetary geologists use for a large dark plain — an ancient lava flood, not a sea. 25 named features carry it, across 2 of the 14 mapped worlds, the largest being Mare Frigoris on The Moon at 1,446 km.
Where they are
The largest maria anywhere
Ranked across every mapped world, by catalogued diameter.
1Mare FrigorisThe Moon1,446 km2Kraken MareTitan1,170 km3Mare ImbriumThe Moon1,146 km4Mare AustraleThe Moon997 km5Mare TranquillitatisThe Moon876 km6Mare FecunditatisThe Moon840 km7Mare NubiumThe Moon715 km8Mare SerenitatisThe Moon674 km9Mare CrisiumThe Moon556 km10Mare InsularumThe Moon512 km11Ligeia MareTitan500 km12Mare HumorumThe Moon420 km13Punga MareTitan380 km14Mare SmythiiThe Moon374 km15Mare MarginisThe Moon358 km16Mare CognitumThe Moon350 km17Mare NectarisThe Moon339 km18Mare OrientaleThe Moon294 km19Mare IngeniiThe Moon282 km20Mare MoscovienseThe Moon276 km21Mare UndarumThe Moon245 km22Mare VaporumThe Moon243 km23Mare HumboldtianumThe Moon231 km24Mare AnguisThe Moon146 km25Mare SpumansThe Moon143 km
What they are named after
Naming themes are set per world, so one descriptor can draw on very different sources depending on where it sits. Across all 25 maria, 6 categories appear.
Latin20Great Britain1Germany1Norway1Greek1New Zealand1