Benben Saxum (Bennu)
Data as of 2026-10-23
What it is
- Type
- Saxum, saxa
- IAU definition
Boulder or rock
- Diameter
- 0.1 km, 41 % of the radius of its body
- Centre
- 45.86° S, 127.59° east (planetocentric latitude, east longitude from 0 to 360°, the IAU convention)
- Name adopted
- January 31, 2020
- Origin of the name
Ancient Egyptian primordial mound that arose from the primordial waters Nu. The god Atum settled upon it to create the world after his flight over the waters in the form of the Bennu bird, who is a piece of his soul.
Quoted in English, as the IAU publishes it.
In Galaxy
Opens its body in the application, the camera turned towards Benben Saxum.
Missions to its body
No observation record of this formation is crossed here. These are the missions the Planetary Data System declares for its body; none is claimed to have observed Benben Saxum.
Sources
International Astronomical Union Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, read on October 23, 2026. Feature page: https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/15891
Type definitions: IAU Descriptor Terms, read on October 17, 2026. https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/DescriptorTerms