Categories (Themes) for Naming Features on Planets and Satellites Mercury Catenae Radio telescope facilities Craters Artists, musicians, painters, and authors who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their field and have been recognized as art historically significant figures for more than 50 years Dorsa Scientists who have contributed to the study of Mercury Faculae Word for "snake" in various languages Fossae Significant works of architecture Montes Word for "hot" in various languages Planitiae, plana Names for Mercury (either the planet or the god) in various languages RupÄs Ships of discovery or scientific expeditions Valles Abandoned cities (or towns or settlements) of antiquity Venus Astra Goddesses, miscellaneous Chasmata Goddesses of hunt; moon goddesses Colles Sea goddesses Coronae Fertility and earth goddesses Craters Women who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their field (over 20 km); Common female first names (under 20 km) Dorsa Sky goddesses Farra Water goddesses FluctÅ«s Goddesses, miscellaneous Fossae Goddesses of war Labyrinthi Goddesses, miscellaneous Lineae Goddesses of war Montes Goddesses, miscellaneous (also one physicist) Paterae Famous women Planitiae Mythological heroines Plana Goddesses of prosperity Regiones Giantesses and Titanesses (also two Greek alphanumeric) RupÄs Goddesses of hearth and home Tesserae Goddesses of fate and fortune Terrae Goddesses of love Tholi Goddesses, miscellaneous Undae Desert goddesses Valles Word for planet Venus in various world languages (400 km and longer); River goddesses (less than 400 km in length) The Moon Note: During the 360-year history of lunar nomenclature, various names were given that do not conform to the present naming scheme, including the special action of 1970 to commemorate six astronauts and six cosmonauts while they were still living. The themes below will be followed for future naming with adherence to the current IAU Rules and Conventions (https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Rules). Craters Scientists, engineers, and explorers, as well as other persons connected with astronomy, planetary, or space research who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their field. Russian cosmonauts are commemorated by craters in and around Mare Moscoviense. American astronauts are commemorated by craters in and around the crater Apollo. Appropriate locations will be provided in the future for other space-faring nations. First names are used for small craters of special interest. LacÅ«s, maria, paludes, sinÅ«s, and oceani Latin terms describing weather and other abstract concepts Montes Terrestrial mountain ranges, nearby craters, and scientists who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their fields RupÄs, valles Nearby craters or other landforms Dorsa Geoscientists Catenae and rimae Nearby craters Satellite Features Craters lettered after nearby prominent named craters Mars and Martian Satellites Mars Albedo Features Names from classical mythology assigned by Schiaparelli and Antoniadi Large craters (approximately 50 km and larger) Scientists, especially those who have contributed significantly to the study of Mars; writers and others who have contributed to the lore of Mars Small craters (approximately 50 km and smaller) Small towns and villages of the world with populations of approximately 100,000 or less. This category is simply a large source of crater names. No commemoration of specific towns or villages is intended. Smaller features within a larger named feature The normal naming convention shall be suspended and instead their names shall be chosen so that they bear a mnemonic relationship to the given name of the larger feature, followed by the appropriate descriptor term (crater, cavus, patera, etc.). Large valles Name for Mars/star in various languages Small valles Classical or modern names of rivers Other features From a nearby named albedo feature on Schiaparelli or Antoniadi maps. If no nearby albedo feature name is available, then from a nearby named crater. Deimos Authors who wrote about martian satellites Phobos Scientists involved with the discovery, dynamics, or properties of the martian satellites, and people and places from Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" Satellites of Jupiter Amalthea People and places associated with the Amalthea myth Thebe People and places associated with the Thebe myth Io Active eruptive centers Fire, sun, thunder, and volcano gods and heroes Catenae Sun gods FluctÅ«s Name derived from nearby named feature, or fire, sun, thunder, volcano gods, goddesses and heroes, or mythical blacksmiths Mensae People associated with Io myth, people from Danteâs Inferno, or derived from a nearby named feature Montes Places associated with Io myth, places from Danteâs Inferno, or derived from a nearby named feature Paterae Fire, sun, thunder, volcano gods, heroes, goddesses, mythical blacksmiths, including names from the associated eruptive center Plana Places associated with Io myth, places from Danteâs Inferno, or derived from a nearby named feature Regiones Places associated with Io myth, places from Danteâs Inferno, or derived from a nearby named feature Tholi People associated with Io myth, people from Danteâs Inferno, or derived from a nearby named feature Valles Named derived from nearby named feature Europa Chaos and cavi Places associated with Celtic myths Craters and mensae Celtic gods and heroes FlexÅ«s Places associated with the Europa myth, or Celtic stone rows Large ringed features Celtic stone circles Lineae and fossae People associated with the Europa myth, or Celtic stone rows Maculae Places associated with the Europa myth Regiones Places associated with Celtic myths Ganymede Catenae Gods and heroes of ancient Fertile Crescent people Craters Gods and heroes of ancient Fertile Crescent people Faculae Places associated with Egyptian myths Fossae Gods (or principals) of ancient Fertile Crescent people Paterae Dry wadis (channels) of the Fertile Crescent region Regiones Astronomers who discovered Jovian satellites Sulci Places associated with myths of ancient people Callisto Names are drawn from myths and folktales of cultures of the Far North such as Norse, Chukchi, Inuit, Sami, etc. Catenae Rivers, valleys, and ravines from myths and folktales of cultures of the Far North Craters Characters from myths and folktales of cultures of the Far North Faculae Gods and characters of frost, snow, cold, and sleet from myths and folktales of cultures of the Far North Large ringed features Places (other than rivers, valleys and ravines) from myths and folktales of cultures of the Far North Satellites of Saturn Janus People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins) Epimetheus People from myth of Castor and Pollux (twins) Mimas Craters People from Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur legends (Baines translation), also one crater named for the discoverer of Mimas Chasmata Places from Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur legends (Baines translation), and places from Greek myths about giants (Mimas was named for a giant) Enceladus People and places from Burton's Arabian Nights Tethys People and places from Homer's Odyssey Dione People and places from Virgil's Aeneid Rhea People and places from creation myths (with Asian emphasis) Titan Albedo features, terrae Sacred or enchanted places, paradise, or celestial realms from legends, myths, stories, and poems of cultures from around the world Colles Names of characters from Middle-earth, the fictional setting in fantasy novels by English author J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) Craters and ringed features Gods and goddesses of wisdom Facula and faculae Facula: Names of islands on Earth that are not politically independent

Faculae: Names of archipelagos FluctÅ«s Gods and goddesses of beauty Flumina Names of mythical or imaginary rivers Freta Names of characters from the Foundation series of science fiction novels by American author Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) Insulae Names of islands from legends and myths LacÅ«s and lacunae Lakes on Earth, preferably with a shape similar to the lacus or lacuna on Titan Maria Sea creatures from myth and literature Montes Names of mountains and peaks from Middle-earth, the fictional setting in fantasy novels by English author J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) Other features (maculae, regiones, paterae, and arcÅ«s) Deities of happiness, peace, and harmony from world cultures Planitiae and labyrinthi Names of planets from the Dune series of science fiction novels by American author Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986) SinÅ«s Names of terrestrial bays, coves, fjords or other inlets Undae Gods and goddesses of wind Virgae Gods and goddesses of rain Hyperion Sun and Moon deities Iapetus People and places from Sayers' translation of Chanson de Roland (For craters, French names are generally used in the bright areas, and Saracen names are generally used in the dark areas) Phoebe Craters People associated with Phoebe, people from the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius and Valerius Flaccus Other features Places from the Argonautica Satellites of Uranus Puck Mischievous (Pucklike) spirits (class) Miranda Characters, places from Shakespeare's plays Ariel Light spirits (individual and class) Umbriel Dark spirits (individual) Titania Female Shakespearean characters, places Oberon Shakespearean tragic heroes and places Small Satellites Heroines from Shakespeare and Pope Satellites of Neptune Proteus Water-related spirits, gods, goddesses (excluding Greek and Roman names) Triton Aquatic names, excluding Roman and Greek. Possible categories include worldwide aquatic spirits, terrestrial fountains or fountain locations, terrestrial aquatic features, terrestrial geysers or geyser locations, terrestrial islands. Nereid Individual nereids Small Satellites Gods and goddesses associated with Neptune/Poseidon mythology or generic mythological aquatic beings Pluto and Plutonian Satellites Pluto Faculae, maculae, and sulci Gods, goddesses, and other beings associated with the Underworld from mythology, folklore and literature Cavi, dorsa, lacÅ«s, and paterae Names for the Underworld and for Underworld locales from mythology, folklore and literature FluctÅ«s, fossae, and valles Heroes and other explorers of the Underworld Craters and regiones Scientists and engineers associated with Pluto and the Kuiper Belt Colles, lineae, planitiae, and terrae Pioneering space missions and spacecraft Montes, paludes, rupÄs Historic pioneers who crossed new horizons in the exploration of the Earth, sea and sky Charon Maculae, plana, and terrae Destinations and milestones of fictional space and other exploration Chasmata Fictional and mythological vessels of space and other exploration Craters Fictional and mythological voyagers, travelers and explorers Montes and dorsa Authors and artists associated with space exploration, especially Pluto and the Kuiper Belt Styx River gods Nix Deities of the night Kerberos Dogs from literature, mythology and history Hydra Legendary serpents and dragons Asteroids (1) Ceres Craters Gods and goddesses of agriculture and vegetation from world mythology Other features Names of agricultural festivals of the world (4) Vesta Craters Names historically associated with the Roman goddess Vesta (vestal virgins, people associated with vestal virgins) and famous Roman women. Approved names are not meant to commemorate individuals, but merely as names for surface features. Regiones Discoverer of Vesta, and scientists who have contributed to the exploration and study of Vesta Other features Places and festivals associated with vestal virgins (21) Lutetia Craters Cities of the Roman Empire and adjacent parts of Europe at the time of Lutetia (52 BC - 360 AD) Regiones Discoverer of Lutetia, and provinces of the Roman Empire at the time of Lutetia Other features Rivers of the Roman Empire and adjacent parts of Europe at the time of Lutetia (243) Ida Craters Caverns and grottos of the world Dorsa Galileo project participants Regiones Discoverer of Ida and places associated with the discoverer (243) Ida I Dactyl Craters Idaean dactyls (253) Mathilde Craters Coal fields and basins of the world (433) Eros Craters Mythological and legendary names of an erotic nature Regiones Discoverers of Eros Dorsa Scientists who have contributed to the exploration and study of Eros (951) Gaspra Craters Spas of the world Regiones Discoverer of Gaspra, and Galileo project participants (2867) Steins Craters Names of gemstones Regio Discoverer of Steins Other features Places associated with gemstones (25143) Itokawa All feature types Places and features associated with astronautics and planetary sciences (101955) Bennu All feature types Birds and bird-like creatures in mythology, and the places associated with them (162173) Ryugu All feature types Names in stories and fairy tales for children (486958) Arrokoth All feature types Words for "sky" in the languages of the world, past and present