Amazonis Planitia

Amazonis Planitia
Topographic map of Amazonis Planitia.

MOLA colorized relief map of Amazonis Planitia. Colors indicate elevation, with red highest, yellow intermediate, and green/blue lowest.
Coordinates24°48′N 196°00′E / 24.8°N 196.0°E / 24.8; 196.0

Amazonis Planitia (/əˈmæzənɪs pləˈnɪʃiə/, Latin Amāzŏnis) is one of the smoothest plains on Mars. It is located between the Tharsis and Elysium volcanic provinces, to the west of Olympus Mons, in the Amazonis and Memnonia quadrangles, centered at 24°48′N 196°00′E / 24.8°N 196.0°E / 24.8; 196.0. The plain's topography exhibits extremely smooth features at several different lengths of scale.[1] A large part of the Medusae Fossae Formation lies in Amazonis Planitia.

Its name derives from one of the classical albedo features observed by early astronomers, which was in turn named after the Amazons, a mythical race of warrior women.

  1. ^ E. R. Fuller and J. W. Head, III, "GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF THE SMOOTHEST PLAINS ON MARS (AMAZONIS PLANITIA) AND ASTROBIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS." Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIII (2002). URL accessed 19 April 2006.