List of geological features on Titan
This is a list of named geological features on Saturn's moon Titan. Official names for these features have only been announced very recently, as Titan's surface was virtually unknown before the arrival of the Cassini–Huygens probe. Some features were known by informal nicknames beforehand; these names are noted where appropriate. Note that some features with a physical size given by "diameter" may not be circular and actually refers to its length.
labels.
Albedo features
s on Titan are named after sacred or enchanted places in world mythologies and literature.Bright albedo features
Albedo feature | Coordinates | Named after |
Adiri | Adiri, Melanesian paradise | |
Dilmun | Dilmun, Sumerian heaven | |
Quivira | Quivira, legendary city in southwestern America | |
Tsegihi | Tsegihi, Navajo sacred place | |
Xanadu | Xanadu, an imaginary palace in Coleridge's Kubla Khan |
Dark albedo features
Arcūs
Titanean arcūs are named after deities of happiness.Albedo feature | Coordinates | Named after |
Hotei Arcus | Hotei, Japanese god |
Colles
are small hills or knobs which are named after characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth.Collis | Coordinates | Diameter | Named after |
Arwen Colles | 64 | Arwen, character from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy | |
Bilbo Colles | 164 | Bilbo Baggins, titular character of Tolkien's The Hobbit | |
Faramir Colles | 82 | Faramir, character from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy | |
Gandalf Colles | 102 | Gandalf, character from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy | |
Handir Colles | 100 | Handir, character from Tolkien's The Silmarillion | |
Nimloth Colles | 90 | Nimloth, name of a character and a tree from Tolkien's Middle-earth |
Craters
s on Titan are named after deities of wisdom.Crater | Coordinates | Diameter | Named after | Informal name |
Afekan | 115.0 | Afekan, New Guinean creator goddess | ||
Beag | 145.0 | Beag, Irish/Celtic goddess | ||
Forseti | 115.0 | Forseti, Norse god | ||
Hano | 100.0 | Hano, Bella Coola goddess of education knowledge and magic. She manifested as a shaman so she could teach the people | ||
Ksa | 29.0 | Ksa, Lakota/Oglala spirit | ||
Menrva | 392.0 | Menrva, Etruscan goddess | 'Circus Maximus' | |
Momoy | 40.0 | Momoy, Chumash ancestor shaman and goddess of magic | ||
Mystis | 20.0 | Mystis, Greek nymph | ||
80.0 | Selk, Egyptian goddess | |||
Sinlap | 80.0 | Sinlap, Kachin spirit | ||
Soi | 75.0 | Soi, Melanesian god of wisdom |
Faculae
e are named after islands on Earth that are not politically independent. Groups of faculae are named after archipelagos on Earth.Facula | Coordinates | Named after | Informal name |
Antilia Faculae | Antillia, mythical Atlantic archipelago | ||
Bazaruto Facula | Bazaruto, Mozambique island | ||
Coats Facula | Coats Island, Canada | ||
Crete Facula | Crete, Greek island | ||
Elba Facula | Elba, Italian island | ||
Kerguelen Facula | Kerguelen Islands, French subantarctic island | ||
Mindanao Facula | Mindanao, Philippine island | 'Ireland' | |
Nicobar Faculae | Nicobar Islands, Indian archipelago | ||
Oahu Facula | Oahu, Hawaiian island | ||
Santorini Facula | Santorini, Greek island | ||
Shikoku Facula | Shikoku, Japanese island | 'Great Britain' | |
Sotra Facula | Sotra, Norwegian island | 'The Rose' | |
Texel Facula | Texel, Dutch island | 'Manhattan' | |
Tortola Facula | Tortola, British Virgin Islands | 'The Snail' | |
Vis Facula | Vis, Croatian island |
Fluctūs
The term "fluctus" refers to flow terrain. Fluctūs on Titan are named after mythological figures associated with beauty.Fluctus | Coordinates | Named after |
Ara Fluctus | Ara the Beautiful, Armenian legendary figure | |
Leilah Fluctus | Layla, Persian goddess | |
Mohini Fluctus | Mohini, Indian goddess of beauty and magic | |
Rohe Fluctus | Rohe, Māori goddess | |
Winia Fluctus | Winia, Indonesian first woman |
Flumina
A flumen is a feature that looks like a channel carved by liquid. Flumina refers to a network of rivers. They are named after mythical or imaginary rivers.Flumina | Coordinates | Length | Named after |
Apanohuaya Flumen | 64 | Apanohuaya, mythological river in the Aztec Underworld | |
Celadon Flumina | 160 | Celadon, river in Homer's Iliad | |
Elivagar Flumina | 260 | The Élivágar, a group of ice rivers in Norse mythology | |
Hubur Flumen | 84 | Hubur, river of the underworld in Mesopotamian mythology | |
Karesos Flumen | 83 | River in Homer's Iliad | |
Saraswati Flumen | 2.9 | Saraswati, river in Hindu mythology | |
Vid Flumina | 158 | One of the rivers in Élivágar. | |
Xanthus Flumen | 78 | Name of the Gods of the river Skamandros in the Iliad. |
Freta
A fretum is a strait of liquid connecting two larger liquid bodies. Freta refers to multiple straits. They are named after characters from the Foundation series of science fiction novels by Isaac Asimov.Fretum | Coordinates | Length | Named after | Informal name |
Bayta Fretum | 165 | Bayta Darell, fictional character in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series, wife of the Trader Toran Darell and grandmother of famous author Arcadia Darell. | ||
Hardin Fretum | 246 | Salvor Hardin, fictional character in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series, first Mayor of the planet Terminus. | ||
Seldon Fretum | 67 | Hari Seldon, the fictional, intellectual hero of Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series, First Minister of the Galactic Empire. | 'Throat of Kraken' | |
Trevize Fretum | 173 | Golan Trevize, fictional character in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series, councilman of the planet Terminus. |
Insulae
Insulae are islands within Titan's seas. They are named after legendary islands.Insula | Coordinates | Liquid body | Named after |
Bermoothes Insula | Kraken Mare | Bermoothes, an enchanted island in Shakespeare's Tempest | |
Bimini Insula | Kraken Mare | Bimini, island in Arawak legend said to contain the fountain of youth. | |
Bralgu Insula | Ligeia Mare | Baralku, in Yolngu culture, the island of the dead and the place where the Djanggawul, the three creator siblings, originated. | |
Buyan Insula | Ligeia Mare | Buyan, a rocky island in Russian folk tales located on the south shore of Baltic Sea | |
Hufaidh Insulae | Kraken Mare | Hufaidh, legendary island in the marshes of southern Iraq | |
Krocylea Insulae | Kraken Mare | Crocylea, mythological Greek island in the Ionian Sea, near Ithaca | |
Mayda Insula | Kraken Mare | Mayda, legendary island in the northeast Atlantic | |
Penglai Insula | Kraken Mare | Penglai, mythological Chinese mountain island where immortals and gods lived. | |
Planctae Insulae | Ligeia Mare | Symplegades, the "clashing rocks" in Bosphorus which only Argo was said to have successfully passed. | |
Royllo Insula | Kraken Mare | Royllo, legendary island in the Atlantic, on verge of unknown, near Antilla and Saint Brandan. |
Labyrinthi
on Titan are named after planets from the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.Labyrinthus | Coordinates | Named after |
Ecaz Labyrinthus | Ecaz | |
Kaitain Labyrinthus | Kaitain | |
Richese Labyrinthus | Richese | |
Sikun Labyrinthus | Sikun | |
Tupile Labyrinthus | Tupile |
Lacunae
Lacunae are dark areas with the appearance of dry lake beds, which are named after intermittent lakes on Earth.Lacunae | Coordinates | Length | Named after |
Atacama Lacuna | 35.9 | Salar de Atacama, intermittent lake in Chile | |
Eyre Lacuna | 25.4 | It is named after Lake Eyre, an intermittent lake in Australia. | |
Jerid Lacuna | 42.6 | Chott el Djerid, intermittent lake in Tunisia | |
Kutch Lacuna | 175 | Great Rann of Kutch, intermittent lake on Pakistani-Indian border | |
Melrhir Lacuna | 23 | Chott Melrhir, intermittent lake in Algeria | |
Nakuru Lacuna | 188 | Lake Nakuru, intermittent lake in Kenya | |
Ngami Lacuna | 37.2 | It is named after Lake Ngami, in Botswana, and like its terrestrial namesake is considered to be endorheic. | |
Racetrack Lacuna | 9.9 | Racetrack Playa, intermittent lake in California, USA | |
Uyuni Lacuna | 27 | Salar de Uyuni, intermittent lake and world's largest salt flat in Bolivia | |
Veliko Lacuna | 93 | Veliko Lake, intermittent lake in Bosnia-Herzegovina | |
Woytchugga Lacuna | 449 | Indications are that it is an intermittent lake and so was named in 2013 after Lake Woytchugga near Wilcannia, Australia. |
Lacūs
Lacūs are hydrocarbon lakes.Large ringed features
Large ring features are named after deities of wisdom in world mythology.Ring feature | Coordinates | Named after |
Guabonito | Guabonito, Taíno sea goddess | |
Nath | Irish goddess of wisdom | |
Paxsi | Aymara goddess of the moon and wisdom | |
Veles | Veles, Slavic god |
Maculae
Titanean maculae are named after deities of happiness, peace, and harmony in world mythology.Macula | Coordinates | Named after |
Eir Macula | Eir, Norse goddess. | |
Elpis Macula | Elpis, Greek god | |
Ganesa Macula | Ganesa, Hindu god | |
Genetaska Macula | Genetaska, Peace Queen of the Iroquois | |
Omacatl Macula | Omacatl, Aztec god. | |
Polaznik Macula | Polaznik, Slavic god | |
Polelya Macula | Polelya, Slavic god |
Maria
Maria are hydrocarbon seas.Montes
Mountains are named after mountains from the fictional Middle-Earth created by J.R.R. Tolkien.Mons | Coordinates | Named after |
Angmar Montes | Mountains of Angmar | |
Dolmed Montes | Mount Dolmed | |
Doom Mons | Mount Doom | |
Echoriat Montes | Echoriath | |
Erebor Mons | Erebor, the Lonely Mountain | |
Gram Montes | Mount Gram | |
Irensaga Montes | Irensaga | |
Merlock Montes | Merlock Mountains | |
Mindolluin Montes | Mindolluin | |
Misty Montes | Misty Mountains | |
Mithrim Montes | Mountains of Mithrim | |
Moria Montes | Mountains of Moria | |
Rerir Montes | Mount Rerir | |
Taniquetil Montes | Taniquetil |
Planitiae
on Titan are named after planets from the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.Planitia | Coordinates | Named after |
Arrakis Planitia | Arrakis | |
Buzzell Planitia | Buzzell | |
Caladan Planitia | Caladan | |
Chusuk Planitia | Chusuk | |
Giedi Planitia | Giedi | |
Hagal Planitia | Hagal | |
Poritrin Planitia | Poritrin | |
Romo Planitia | Romo | |
Rossak Planitia | Rossak |
Regiones
nes are named after deities of peace and happiness.Regio | Coordinates | Named after |
Concordia Regio | Concordia, the Roman goddess of divinity and harmony | |
Hetpet Regio | Hetpet, the Egyptian personification of happiness | |
Hotei Regio | Budai, Chinese/Japanese god | |
Ochumare Regio | Ochumare, Puertan Rican goddess of happiness and weather | |
Tui Regio | Tui, Chinese goddess. |
Sinūs
Sinus within seas or lakes are named after terrestrial bays, coves, fjords or inlets.Name | Coordinates | Liquid body | Length | Source of name |
Arnar Sinus | Kraken Mare | 101 | Arnar, fjord in Iceland | |
Avacha Sinus | Punga Mare | 51 | Avacha Bay in Kamchatka, Russia | |
Baffin Sinus | Kraken Mare | 110 | Baffin Bay between Canada and Greenland | |
Boni SInus | Kraken Mare | 54 | Gulf of Boni in Indonesia | |
Dingle Sinus | Kraken Mare | 80 | Dingle Bay in Ireland | |
Flensborg Sinus | Kraken Mare | 115 | Flensburg Firth, fjord between Denmark and Germany | |
Fundy Sinus | Punga Mare | 91 | Bay of Fundy in Canada that hosts the world's largest tides | |
Gabes Sinus | Kraken Mare | 147 | Gabes, or Syrtis minor, a bay in Tunisia | |
Genova Sinus | Kraken Mare | 125 | Gulf of Genoa in Italy | |
Kumbaru Sinus | Kraken Mare | 122 | Bay in India | |
Lulworth Sinus | Kraken Mare | 24 | Lulworth Cove in southern England | |
Maizuru Sinus | Kraken Mare | 92 | Maizuru Bay in Japan | |
Manza Sinus | Kraken Mare | 37 | Manza Bay in Tanzania | |
Moray Sinus | Kraken Mare | 204 | Moray Firth in Scotland | |
Nicoya Sinus | Ligeia Mare | 130 | Gulf of Nicoya in Costa Rica | |
Okahu Sinus | Kraken Mare | 141 | Okahu Bay near Auckland, New Zealand | |
Patos Sinus | Ligeia Mare | 103 | Patos, fjord in Chile | |
Puget Sinus | Ligeia Mare | 93 | Puget Sound in Washington, United States | |
Rombaken Sinus | Ligeia Mare | 92.5 | Rombaken, fjord in Norway | |
Skelton Sinus | Kraken Mare | 73 | Skelton Glacier near Ross Sea, Antarctica | |
Trold Sinus | Kraken Mare | 118 | Trold Fiord Formation in Nunavut, Canada | |
Tunu Sinus | Kraken Mare | 134 | Tunu, fjord in Greenland | |
Wakasa Sinus | Ligeia Mare | 146 | Wakasa Bay in Japan | |
Walvis Sinus | Kraken Mare | 253 | Walvis Bay in Namibia |
Terrae
Terrae are extensive landmasses. As with the albedo features, they are named after sacred and enchanted locations from cultures across the world.Terra | Coordinates | Named after |
Garotman Terra | Garotman, the Iranian paradise that the souls of faithful men inhabit | |
Tollan Terra | Tollan, the Aztec paradise where crops never wilt | |
Tsiipiya Terra | Tsiipiya, the Hopi name for Mount Taylor in New Mexico, USA | |
Yalaing Terra | Yalaing, the Australian spirit land for good souls with clean water and game |
Undae
Undae are dune fields. On Titan they are named after Greek deities of wind.Undae | Coordinates | Diameter | Named after |
Aura Undae | 490 | Aura, Titanis goddess of the morning wind. | |
Boreas Undae | 260 | Boreas, Greek god of the north wind. | |
Eurus Undae | 220 | Eurus, Greek personification of the east wind. | |
Notus Undae | 530 | Notus, Greek god of the south or southwest wind. | |
Zephyrus Undae | 130 | Zephyrus, Greek personification of the gentle west wind. |
Virgae
are named after rain gods in world mythologies.Virga | Coordinates | Named after |
Bacab Virgae | Bacab, Mayan rain god | |
Hobal Virga | Hobal, Arabian rain god. | |
Kalseru Virga | Kalseru, Australian Aborigine rain god. | |
Perkunas Virgae | Perkūnas, Lithuanian supreme god | |
Shiwanni Virgae | Shiwanni, Zuni rain god | |
Tishtrya Virgae | Tishtrya, Persian rain god | |
Tlaloc Virgae | Tlaloc, Aztec rain god | |
Uanui Virgae | Uanui, Māori rain god |
Informal names for previously unnamed features
Because the exact nature of many surface features remain mysterious, a number of features took time to receive formal names and are known by nicknames. In most cases, indications of brightness and darkness refer not to visible light, but to the infrared images used to look through Titan's obscuring haze.- 'The Sickle': a large, dark, sickle-shaped region identified by the Hubble Space Telescope.
- 'Throat of Kraken': unofficial name for the strait that separates the north and south basins of Kraken Mare, before officially being named Seldon Fretum. It was used in early publications that hypothesized about its role with tidal dissipation and surface currents between the two basins of Kraken Mare.