List of terrae on Venus
Encyclopedia
This is a list of terrae, or major landmasses, on Venus. In accordance to the International Astronomical Union
's rules of planetary nomenclature
, they are named after goddesses of love.
There are only three named terrae on Venus:
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
's rules of planetary nomenclature
Planetary nomenclature
Planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is a system of uniquely identifying features on the surface of a planet or natural satellite so that the features can be easily located, described, and discussed. The task of assigning official names to features is taken up by the International...
, they are named after goddesses of love.
There are only three named terrae on Venus:
| Name | North latitude (deg) | West longitude (deg) | Feature diameter (km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aphrodite Terra Aphrodite Terra Aphrodite Terra is a highland region on Venus, near the equator. It is about the same size as Africa, and much rougher than Ishtar Terra.The surface appears buckled and fractured which suggests large compressive forces. There are also numerous extensive lava flows. Channels cross this terrain and... |
-5.8 | 104.8 | 10,000.0 |
| Ishtar Terra Ishtar Terra Ishtar Terra is one of two main highland regions on the planet Venus. It is the smaller of the two "continents", and is located near the north pole. It is named after the Akkadian goddess Ishtar.... |
70.4 | 27.5 | 5,610.0 |
| Lada Terra | -62.5 | 20.0 | 8,615.0 |
- Aphrodite TerraAphrodite TerraAphrodite Terra is a highland region on Venus, near the equator. It is about the same size as Africa, and much rougher than Ishtar Terra.The surface appears buckled and fractured which suggests large compressive forces. There are also numerous extensive lava flows. Channels cross this terrain and...
is named after the Greek love goddess, the counterpart to Venus in Roman mythology. It is located on the southern hemisphere, just below the Equator.
- Ishtar TerraIshtar TerraIshtar Terra is one of two main highland regions on the planet Venus. It is the smaller of the two "continents", and is located near the north pole. It is named after the Akkadian goddess Ishtar....
is named after a Babylonian love goddess. It is located on the northern hemisphere. Among its prominent features is the highest point on Venus, Maxwell MontesMaxwell MontesMaxwell Montes is a mountain massif on the planet Venus, part of which contains the highest point on the planet's surface.- General description :...
- Lada Terra is named after the Slavic goddessLada and LadoLada or Lado is the names of a putative Slavic pagan deity of harmony, merriment, youth, love and beauty .The word 'Lado' does indeed appear in many Slavic and Baltic wedding and folk songs, particularly those sung during Ivan Kupala and other summer festivals. Its meaning, if indeed it has any, is...
of love. It is located in the largely unknown Southern Polar area.