Mare Tranquillitatis
Description:
Mare Tranquillitatis, known as the Sea of Tranquility, is a vast lunar mare spanning approximately 873 kilometers in diameter, formed by ancient volcanic activity that filled a massive impact basin with basaltic lava over 3.8 billion years ago.
This dark, smooth plain is visible from Earth as one of the prominent dark patches on the Moon's near side. The surface features gentle undulations, wrinkle ridges, and scattered small craters, indicative of its volcanic history and subsequent impacts.
Its relatively flat terrain and stable geology made it an ideal location for human exploration, hosting the first manned lunar landing.
How I Got My Name:
The name "Mare Tranquillitatis," Latin for "Sea of Tranquility," was coined in 1651 by Italian astronomers Giovanni Battista Riccioli and Francesco Grimaldi. They mistakenly believed the dark, flat regions were oceans, naming them seas based on early telescopic observations that suggested liquid bodies.
Interesting Fact:
The historic site of the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969, where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. Armstrong's famous words, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," marked this monumental achievement in space exploration.
Location: Centered at 8.5° N, 31.4° E, on the Moon's near side.
