Like all lunar maria, Oceanus Procellarum was formed by ancient volcanic eruptions resulting in basaltic floods that covered the region in a thick, nearly flat layer of solidified magma. Basalts in Oceanus Procellarum have been estimated to be as young as one billion years old.

What is the largest ocean on the Moon?

The region towards the western edge of the Moon is dominated by the largest of the lunar seas; Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms). This is a massive region measuring approximately 1000 miles by 480 miles.

How big is the Ocean of Storms?

The largest dark spot on the Moon, known as the Ocean of Storms, is more than 1,800 miles wide and may be a scar from a giant cosmic impact, researchers say. The near side of the Moon is quite different from the far side.

What is the largest dark spot on the Moon called?

the Ocean of Storms
The largest dark spot on the moon, known as the Ocean of Storms, may be a scar from a giant cosmic impact that created a magma sea more than a thousand miles wide and several hundred miles deep, researchers say.

How old is the Kepler crater?

Crater Kepler area. Usually rays appear to be formed by the excavation and deposition of material from both the main crater and secondary craters. Crater Kepler (32 km in diameter) has intermediate age [3]. It is younger than Copernicus (inferred age of ~ 810 Myr), but older than Tycho (inferred age of ~ 109 Myr).

Why Moon is called storm?

The Oceans of Storms on the moon (Oceanus Procellarum) is the only one of the lunar maria or seas to be called an ocean. That’s because it’s the largest of the maria, stretching more than 1,600 miles (2,500 km) across. Early theories about this part of the moon suggested it was the site of an ancient asteroid impact.

How many mares are on the moon?

There are about 20 major areas of this type, most of them—including the largest ones—located on the side of the Moon that always faces Earth.

Does Saturn have land?

Surface. As a gas giant, Saturn doesn’t have a true surface. The planet is mostly swirling gases and liquids deeper down. While a spacecraft would have nowhere to land on Saturn, it wouldn’t be able to fly through unscathed either.

How old is the Oceanus Procellarum?

It formed long ago, about 3.5 billion years ago, and subsequent impacts (some of which have been huge) have distorted the outer boundaries. Because of its huge size and assumed roundness, its origin has generally been attributed to something very large hitting the Moon, punching through the crust.

Where is Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon?

The Ocean of Storms (Oceanus Procellarum) on the moon is a vast volvanic plain on the western edge of the moon’s near side.

What is another name for Oceanus Procellarum?

Oceanus Procellarum. Oceanus Procellarum ( /oʊˈsiːənəs ˌprɒsɪˈleɪrəm/; Latin for ” Ocean of Storms “) is a vast lunar mare on the western edge of the near side of the Moon. It is the only one of the lunar maria to be called an “Oceanus” (ocean), due to its size: Oceanus Procellarum is the largest of the maria,…

What is the history of Procellarum?

One of the most likely is that Procellarum was a result of an ancient giant impact on the near side of the Moon. The size of the impact basin has been estimated to be more than 3,000 kilometers, which would make it one of the three largest craters in the Solar System.

What does the Procellarum region look like?

The Procellarum region is a broad region of low topography covered in dark mare basalt. The gravity gradients reveal a giant rectangular pattern of structures surrounding the region.

How was the Procellarum formed on the Moon?

Procellarum may have also been formed by spatially inhomogeneous heating during the Moon’s formation.