KnowraLunar mareLunar mareA lunar mare is a broad, dark plain formed mainly by ancient basaltic lava that flooded low-lying regions of the Moon.BriefConnectLunar magma ocean: A hypothesized early global layer of molten rock that formed as the Moon cooled. Its crystallization set the composition of the crust beneath later mare eruptions.Impact basin: A large circular depression produced by a high-energy impact on a planetary surface. Mare basalts commonly occupy the broad floors of lunar impact basins.Oceanus Procellarum: A vast, irregular basaltic plain covering much of the Moon’s western near side. Its scale and complex boundaries make it unlike a simple circular mare basin.Lunar mare soil: The impact-processed surface material developed over basaltic plains on the Moon. Its mineral and chemical signatures help identify basalt types from orbit and samples.Imbrium Basin: A vast impact basin on the Moon’s near side, partly filled by mare basalt. Its formation created a low basin later flooded by volcanic lava.Lunar lava flow: A sheet or channel of molten rock that spread across the lunar surface before solidifying. Successive flows built up the basalt plains within mare basins.Mare Tranquillitatis: A dark lunar plain on the Moon’s near side and the Apollo 11 landing region. Apollo 11 returned basalt and soil samples from this mare.Lunar landing site: A selected location on the Moon intended for a crewed or robotic landing. Mare plains offer relatively smooth terrain for landings, though hazards remain.Mare basalt: Dark volcanic rock on the Moon, typically rich in iron and magnesium. These rocks make up most mare surfaces and reveal their volcanic history.Lunar rilles: Long, narrow depressions on the Moon, formed by volcanic or tectonic processes. Some winding rilles preserve paths carved by flowing mare lava.Show all 21Linked from 6 pagesEratosthenianBroader topic: Mare basalts record the volcanism that continued through much of this period.Lunar geologic timescaleRelated: Mare basalts record volcanic activity during later parts of lunar history.Lunar south poleCompared with: Mare plains contrast with the south pole’s heavily cratered highlands and steep illumination gradients.Geology of the MoonBroader topic: Mare basalts preserve evidence of the Moon’s volcanic composition and chronology.Internal structure of the MoonRelated: Their basalts sample mantle-derived melts and reveal later interior activity.NectarianCompared with: Most mare volcanism postdates the Nectarian, distinguishing younger plains from its older highland units.