Mare Tranquillitatis

Definition

Mare Tranquillitatis, or the Sea of Tranquility, is a vast lunar mare located on the near side of the Moon. It is one of the most prominent and well-known features on the lunar surface, known for its smooth, dark appearance and its historical significance as the site of the first human lunar landing.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Mare Tranquillitatis covers an area of approximately 70,000 square kilometers, making it one of the largest lunar maria.
2. The basaltic lava that fills the Mare Tranquillitatis is estimated to be around 3.5 billion years old, dating back to the early history of the Moon.
3. The Apollo 11 mission, the first crewed mission to land on the Moon, touched down in the Mare Tranquillitatis on July 20, 1969, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first humans to walk on the lunar surface.
4. The smooth, dark appearance of the Mare Tranquillitatis is a result of the basaltic lava that filled the impact basin, creating a relatively flat and featureless landscape.
5. The Mare Tranquillitatis is located in the northern hemisphere of the near side of the Moon, approximately halfway between the lunar equator and the north pole.

Review Questions

• Describe the physical characteristics of the Mare Tranquillitatis and explain how it was formed.
  • The Mare Tranquillitatis is a vast, smooth, and dark-colored region on the lunar surface, characterized by its basaltic lava composition. This lunar mare was formed by ancient volcanic eruptions, where molten basalt filled a large impact basin on the Moon's surface, creating a relatively flat and featureless landscape. The basaltic lava that fills the Mare Tranquillitatis is estimated to be around 3.5 billion years old, dating back to the early history of the Moon's formation and volcanic activity.
• Explain the historical significance of the Mare Tranquillitatis and its connection to human lunar exploration.
  • The Mare Tranquillitatis holds a significant place in the history of human lunar exploration. It was the site of the first human lunar landing, where the Apollo 11 mission touched down on July 20, 1969, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first humans to walk on the lunar surface. The smooth and relatively flat terrain of the Mare Tranquillitatis made it an ideal landing site for the Apollo 11 mission, allowing the spacecraft to safely descend and the astronauts to conduct their exploration activities on the Moon.
• Analyze the role of the Mare Tranquillitatis in our understanding of the Moon's geological history and formation.
  • The Mare Tranquillitatis provides valuable insights into the Moon's geological history and formation. The basaltic lava that fills the mare is a remnant of the Moon's early volcanic activity, which was driven by the internal heating and cooling of the lunar interior. By studying the composition and age of the basalt in the Mare Tranquillitatis, scientists can better understand the Moon's thermal history, the processes that shaped its surface, and the overall formation of the lunar crust and mantle. Additionally, the smooth and relatively featureless terrain of the Mare Tranquillitatis offers a unique window into the Moon's early history, as it was likely shaped by the impact events that formed the lunar basins and the subsequent volcanic activity that filled them.

Related terms

Lunar Mare: A lunar mare (plural: maria) is a large, dark, basaltic plain on the Moon's surface, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.

Lunar Basalt: Lunar basalt is a type of volcanic rock that makes up the majority of the lunar maria, formed by the cooling and solidification of lava flows.

Lunar Landing Sites: Lunar landing sites are the specific locations on the Moon where various spacecraft, including the Apollo missions, have landed and conducted exploration activities.