Mare Vaporum

Mare Vaporum /væˈpɔːrəm/ (Latin vapōrum, the "sea of vapors") is a lunar mare located between the southwest rim of Mare Serenitatis and the southeast rim of Mare Imbrium. The lunar material surrounding the mare is from the Lower Imbrian epoch, and the mare material is from the Eratosthenian epoch. The mare lies in an old basin or crater that is within the Procellarum basin. The mare is 242 kilometers (150 mi) in diameter and 55,000 km2 (21,000 sq mi) in area. It may be from the Pre-Imbrian period, which lasted from 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago. To the south of the mare is a light colored thin line. This feature is Rima Hyginus. The mare is bordered by the mountain range Montes Apenninus. The mare was named by Giovanni Battista Riccioli in 1651.[2][3]

Lunar nearside with major maria and craters labelled.
Mare Vaporum
Mare Vaporum. The crater Manilius can be seen as the bright circular object to the right of the mare. To the south Rima Hyginus is visible as a light colored thin line. In the upper left hand side of the photo is the mountain range Montes Apenninus.
Coordinates13.3°N 3.6°E / 13.3; 3.6
Diameter242 km (150 mi)[1]
EponymSea of Vapors
Oblique view facing south of Mare Vaporum from lunar orbit (Apollo 17)
Western Mare Vaporum during sunrise, from Apollo 15

References
  1. "Mare Vaporum". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
  2. "Mare Vaporum". lunar.arc.nasa.gov. Retrieved October 18, 2007.
  3. Autostar Suite Astronomer Edition. CD-ROM. Meade, April 2006.
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