Xanthe Terra is a large area on

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...

, centered just north of the Martian equator. Its coordinates are and its diameter is 1867.65 km. Its name means "golden-yellow land." It is in the

Lunae Palus quadrangle The Lunae Palus quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The quadrangle is also referred to as MC-10 (Mars Chart-10). Lunae Planum and parts o ...

, the Coprates quadrangle, the

Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle The Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle is also referred to as MC-19 (Mars Chart-19) ...

, and the

Oxia Palus quadrangle The Oxia Palus quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Oxia Palus quadrangle is also referred to as MC-11 (Mars Chart-11). The quadrangl ...

Ravi Vallis Ravi Vallis is an ancient outflow channel, the source of which originates from the Aromatum Chaos depression, and is situated at the eastern end of Xanthe Terra, in the Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle (MC-19) region of Mars, located at . The Ravi ...

, Aromatum Chaos, Ophir,

Ganges Chasma Ganges Chasma is a deep canyon at the eastern end of the vast Valles Marineris system on Mars, an offshoot of Capri Chasma, and is in the Coprates quadrangle. It is named after the River Ganges in South Asia. Ganges Chasma is thought to have fo ...

, Nanedi Valles,

Shalbatana Vallis Shalbatana Vallis is an ancient water-worn channel on Mars, located in the Oxia Palus quadrangle at 7.8° north latitude and 42.1° west longitude. It is the westernmost of the southern Chryse outflow channels. Beginning in a zone of chaotic terra ...

, Orson Welles Crater, Mutch Crater, and Da Vinci Crater are some major features in Xanthe Terra. Images from Mars Express, Mars Global Surveyor, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have revealed ancient river valleys and deltas. The deltas show many thin layers just as deltas on Earth. Scientists speculate that features in Xanthe Terra show evidence of precipitation on early Mars. Wikiarabiaboundaries.jpg, MOLA map showing boundaries of Xanthe Terra and other regions File:Xantheterra6.jpg, Map of Xanthe Terra with major features labeled Image:Alluvial Fans in Mojave Crater.jpg, Alluvial Fans in Mojave Crater, as seen by HiRISE. High ground is on the right. Branched network of channels runs from higher ground (crater rim) to lower ground.

References

External links

* - the MOC photo took it far above Xanthe Terra Terrae on Mars Lunae Palus quadrangle Coprates quadrangle Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle Oxia Palus quadrangle {{crater-stub