Borealis Planitia (Mercury)
Data as of 2026-10-23
What it is
- Type
- Planitia, planitiae
- IAU definition
Low plain
- Diameter
- 3,450 km, 141 % of the radius of its body
- Centre
- 67.3° N, 32.6° east (planetocentric latitude, east longitude from 0 to 360°, the IAU convention)
- Name adopted
- 1976
- Origin of the name
"Northern plain"; from classical albedo name for quadrangle.
Quoted in English, as the IAU publishes it.
In Galaxy
Opens its body in the application, the camera turned towards Borealis Planitia.
Observed by
Instruments whose footprint touches this formation, counted by the PDS Orbital Data Explorer (data frozen on September 29, 2026). A footprint that touches it is not a study of it.
| Mission and instrument | Products | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| MESSENGER · Mercury Dual Imaging System - Wide Angle Camera | 304,836 | January 1, 2000 | April 14, 2015 |
| MESSENGER · Mercury Dual Imaging System | 114 | January 1, 2000 | November 1, 2014 |
| MESSENGER · Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer | 25,527 | August 13, 2004 | April 30, 2015 |
| MESSENGER · Mercury Dual Imaging System - Narrow Angle Camera | 165,566 | January 14, 2008 | April 24, 2015 |
| MESSENGER · Mercury Laser Altimeter | 9,719 | January 14, 2008 | April 30, 2015 |
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/823
Type definitions: IAU Descriptor Terms, read on October 17, 2026. https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/DescriptorTerms