- Lunar mare (Wikipedia)
The lunar maria (/ˈmæri.ə/ MARR-ee-ə; sg. mare /ˈmɑːreɪ, -i/ MAR-ay, MAR-ee) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth’s Moon, formed by lava flowing into ancient impact basins. They were dubbed maria (Latin for ‘seas’) by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas.[citation needed] They are less reflective than the “highlands” as a result of their iron-rich composition, and hence appear dark to the naked eye. The maria cover about 16% of the lunar surface, mostly on the side visible from Earth. The few maria on the far side are much smaller, residing mostly in very large craters. The traditional nomenclature for the Moon also includes one oceanus (ocean), as well as features with the names lacus (’lake’), palus (‘marsh’), and sinus (‘bay’). The last three are smaller than maria, but have the same nature and characteristics.
- Charles Wilkes (Wikipedia)
Charles Wilkes (April 3, 1798 – February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer, ship’s captain, and explorer. He led the first United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842). During the American Civil War (1861-1865), he commanded USS San Jacinto during the Trent Affair incident in which he stopped a British Royal Mail ship and forcibly removed two Confederate diplomats, almost leading to war between the United States and United Kingdom.
