Mare_Tranquilitatis Mare_Tranquilitatis

Mare Tranquilitatis - Definition

The Sea of Tranquility of the Moon. Image courtesy of  and : , , and .
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The Sea of Tranquility of the Moon. Image courtesy of NOT and SO: M. Gålfalk, G. Olofsson, and H.-G. Florén.

Mare Tranquillitatis ("sea of tranquility") is a lunar mare that sits within the Tranquillitatis basin on Earth's Moon. The mare material within the basin consists of basalt in the intermediate to young age group of the Upper Imbrian epoch. The surrounding mountains are thought to be of the Lower Imbrian epoch, but the actual basin is probably Pre-Nectarian. The basin has irregular margins and lacks a defined multiple-ringed structure. The irregular topography in and near this basin results from the intersection of the Tranquillitatis, Nectaris, Crisium, Fecunditatis, and Serenitatis basins with two throughgoing rings of the Procellarum basin. Palus Somni, on the northeastern rim of the mare, is filled with the basalt that spilled over from Tranquillitatis.

Map of Mare Tranquillitatis, showing the landing sites of Apollo 11, Apollo 17, Apollo 16, and Surveyor 5. To the southeast is Mare Fecunditatis, to the northeast is Mare Crisium, to the northwest is Mare Serenitatis, and to the south is Mare Nectaris.

This mare served as the landing site for Apollo 11, the first manned landing on the Moon.

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