maria
Moon's dark patches
Maria is the plural of mare, the Latin term for the dark, flat plains on the moon's surface.
Early astronomers mistook these basaltic regions for seas: The maria are visible to the naked eye as dark patches on the full moon.
The word appears almost exclusively in astronomical contexts. (Capitalized Maria is a given name.)
moon
Natural planetary satellite
lava · plains · dark · volcanic · astronomy · Apollo · landing · regolith
- planetary scienceplanetary cores, planet formation, planetary formation, planetary rings, atmospheres
- lunar featurescrater, rille, mons, montes, highland
- Moon featurescraters, lunar surface, lunar phases, regolith, highlands
- planetary featuresvolcano, mountain, crater, canyon, cliff
- astrogeologyplanetary cores, meteorites, impact craters, lunar craters, moon rocks
- spacespace, sun, moon, stars, star
- marine wildlifeAnimals of the ocean
- maritime shippingMoving cargo by ship
- marine biologistStudies sea life professionally
- marine lifeOcean-dwelling organisms collectively
- Marine CorpsSea-land combat branch
- marine mammalsWarm-blooded ocean animals
marine, marina, mare, submarine, maritime, marinate, mariner