KUON GEO

The Moon, named after Roman

21 named features. The International Astronomical Union records why each name was chosen, and those reasons are printed below exactly as they were approved.

FEATURES · 21

NAMETYPESIZEWHY THAT NAME
Catena Lucretius (RNII)catena232.1 kmNamed from nearby crater; RNII=Rocket Research Institute.
Dorsa Catodorsum128.6 kmMarcus Porcius; Roman geological engineer (234-149 B.C.).
Rimae Pliniusrille100 kmNamed from nearby crater.
Julius Caesarcrater84.7 kmRoman emperor, introduced the Julian calendar (c. 102-44 B.C.).
Rimae Sulpicius Gallusrille80 kmNamed from nearby crater.
Catena Taruntiuscatena69.2 kmNamed from nearby crater.
Lucretiuscrater64.6 kmTitus Lucretius Carus; Roman scientific philosopher (c. 94-55 B.C.).
Mercuriuscrater64.3 kmMercury; Roman mythical messenger.
Macrobiuscrater62.8 kmAmbrosius Aurelius Theodosius; Roman writer (unkn-fl. c. 410).
Hannocrater59.5 kmCarthaginian navigator(unkn-c. 500 B.C.).
Taruntiuscrater57.3 kmFirmanus, Lucius; Roman philosopher (unkn-fl. 86 B.C.).
Firmicuscrater56.8 kmJulius Maternus of Syracuse; Roman astrologer (fl. A.D. 330-354).
Senecacrater47.6 kmLucius Annaeus; Roman philosopher, natural scientist (4 B.C.- A.D. 65).
Mons Vitruviusmons44.3 kmNamed from nearby crater.
Pliniuscrater41.3 kmGaius Plinius Secundus (The Elder); Roman natural scientist (23-79).
Tacituscrater39.8 kmCornelius; Roman historian (c. 55-120).
Maniliuscrater38.3 kmMarcus; Roman writer (unkn-c. 50 B.C.).
Rimae Taruntiusrille35 kmWithin crater.
Vitruviuscrater30.9 kmVitruvius Pollio, Marcus; Roman engineer, architect (unkn-fl. c. 25 B.C.).
Sulpicius Galluscrater11.6 kmGaius; Roman astronomer (unkn-fl. c. B.C. 166).
Censorinuscrater4.1 kmRoman astronomer (fl. A.D. 238).
Names and their origins come from the IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature (USGS Astrogeology), retrieved 2026-08-14.
All named featuresKUON THE MOON mapAbout the mapEvery landing site on the Moon
DATA: IAU / USGS Astrogeology · NASA LRO LOLA