This is a list of
geological features on
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
. Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Venus is classified as a
terrestrial planet
A terrestrial planet, telluric planet, or rocky planet, is a planet that is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals. Within the Solar System, the terrestrial planets accepted by the IAU are the inner planets closest to the Sun: Mercury, ...
and it is sometimes called Earth's "sister planet" owing to their similar size, gravity, and bulk composition (Venus is both the closest planet to Earth and the planet closest in size to Earth). The surface of Venus is covered by a dense atmosphere and presents clear evidence of former violent volcanic activity. It has shield and composite volcanoes similar to those found on Earth.
Valles
Cytherean
Cytherean is an adjective literally meaning ''of Cythera'' (Latin ''Cytherēa'', from the Greek adjective Κυθέρεια ''Kythereia'', from Κύθηρα ''Kythēra'' 'Cythera'). Cythera is a small Greek island, southeast of the Peloponnesu ...
valleys are called by the Latin term ''valles'', and are named after river goddesses or after words for the planet Venus (including terms for the ''morning star'' or ''evening star'' specifically) in various languages.
Undae
Undae on Venus refer to
dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...
fields and are named after desert goddesses.
Tesserae
Tesserae
A tessera (plural: tesserae, diminutive ''tessella'') is an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a square, used in creating a mosaic. It is also known as an abaciscus or abaculus.
Historical tesserae
The oldest known tessera ...
are areas of
polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed '' polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two ...
al terrain. They are named after goddesses in world mythologies.
Rupes
Scarps on Venus are called
rupes
Rupes (plural ) is the Latin word for 'cliff'. It is used in planetary geology to refer to escarpments on other worlds. , the IAU has named 62 such features in the Solar System, on Mercury (17), Venus (7), the Moon (8), Mars (23), the asteroids ...
and are named after goddesses of the hearth.
Tholi
Regio
Planum
Planitia
Paterae
Lineae
Labyrinthus
Fossae
Fluctus
Farra
Dorsa
Colles
Chasma
See also
*
List of coronae on Venus
This is a list of named coronae on Venus. With a few exceptions, cytherean coronae are named after fertility and earth goddesses.
List of coronae on Venus
See also
*List of montes on Venus
*List of craters on Venus
This is a list of ...
*
List of craters on Venus
This is a list of craters on Venus, named by the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature. All craters on Venus are named after famous women or female first names. ''(For features on Venus othe ...
*
List of extraterrestrial dune fields
*
List of montes on Venus
This is a list of montes (mountains, singular ''mons'') on the planet Venus. Venusian mountains are all named after goddesses in the mythologies of various cultures, except for the Maxwell Montes.
The four main mountain ranges of Venus are named ...
*
List of terrae on Venus
This is a list of terrae, or major landmasses, on Venus. In accordance to the International Astronomical Union's rules of planetary nomenclature, they are named after goddesses of love.
There are only three named terrae on Venus:
*Aphrodite T ...
Notes
References
USGS
{{DEFAULTSORT:Geological features on Venus
Surface features of Venus
Venus-related lists