List of geological features on Pluto

This is a list of named geological features on Pluto, identified by scientists working with data from the New Horizons spacecraft. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially approved the first 14 names on 8 August 2017 (announced 7 September 2017),^[1] with additional names following in each subsequent year, but many of the names listed on this page are still informal.^[2] The IAU has determined that names will be chosen from the following themes:^[3][4]

• Names for the underworld from the world's mythologies
• Gods, goddesses, and dwarfs associated with the underworld
• Heroes and other explorers of the underworld
• Writers associated with Pluto and the Kuiper belt
• Pioneering space missions and spacecraft
• Scientists and engineers associated with Pluto and the Kuiper belt

A map of Pluto showing the names officially approved by the IAU as of 12 February 2025, along with many informal names in bold and italics.

Cavi

A cavus is a hollow or steep-sided depression. Plutonian cavi are named after underworlds from fiction and mythology. The following is a list of official and unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3][5] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Adlivun Cavus	Underworld in Inuit mythology	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Baralku Cavi	Baralku, the island of the dead in Yolngu culture	—
Hekla Cavus	An Icelandic volcano believed to be the entrance to Hell in medieval European times	2018-05-30 · WGPSN

Colles

A collis is a low hill. Plutonian colles are named after spacecraft that operated in Earth orbit. The following is a list of official and unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Astrid Colles	The Astrid program, Sweden's first satellites, in turn named after Astrid Lindgren	—
Challenger Colles	Honors the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger	2022-05-07 · WGPSN
Coleta de Dados Colles	Satélite de Coleta de Dados, first Brazilian satellite	—
Columbia Colles	Honors the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia	2022-05-07 · WGPSN
Soyuz Colles	The Soyuz program; honors the loss of Soyuz 11	—

Craters

Plutonian craters are named after scientists and other people associated with the study of Pluto. The following is a list of official and unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Bower	Ernest Clare Bower, American astronomer who calculated one of the first orbits of Pluto	2024-09-11  · WGPSN
Brinton	Henry Brinton, NASA administrator instrumental in Pluto studies	—
Burney	Venetia Burney, who proposed the name of Pluto	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Coradini	Angioletta Coradini, Italian planetary scientist	2022-05-07 · WGPSN
Coughlin	Thomas Boyd Coughlin, American mechanical and space engineer, first project manager of the New Horizons mission	2020-01-03 · WGPSN
Edgeworth	Kenneth Edgeworth, Irish astronomer who posited the Kuiper Belt	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Elliot	James L. Elliot, discoverer of Pluto's atmosphere	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Farinella	Paolo Farinella, Italian astronomer	2024-09-11  · WGPSN
Gibson	William C. Gibson, Original Science Payload Manager for the New Horizons mission	2025-01-08  · WGPSN
Giclas	Henry L. Giclas, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory	2025-01-08  · WGPSN
Guest	John Guest, British volcanologist and planetary scientist	—
H. Smith	Harlan Smith, astronomer and director of McDonald Observatory	—
Hardaway	Lisa Hardaway, American aerospace engineer and program manager for the RALPH telescope on New Horizons	2020-08-05 · WGPSN
Hardie	Robert H. Hardie, American astronomer, co-discoverer of Pluto's 6.4-day rotation period	2020-01-03 · WGPSN
Hollis	Andrew Hollis, British astronomer	—
Isakowitz	Matthew Isakowitz, Aerospace engineer who significantly contributed to commercial spaceflight, and was an intern working for the New Horizons mission	—
Khare	Bishun Khare, Indian-American chemist specialized in planetary atmospheres, studied tholins extensively	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Kiladze	Rolan Kiladze, Georgian astronomer who investigated the dynamics, astrometry, and photometry of Pluto	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Kowal	Charles T. Kowal, American astronomer who discovered the first centaur	2022-05-07 · WGPSN
Oort	Jan Oort, Dutch astronomer who posited the Oort Cloud	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Owen	Tobias Owen, whose pioneering work on the origin and composition of planetary atmospheres and comets was revolutionary, along with playing a critical role in several NASA and ESA missions, such as Viking, Voyager, Galileo, Rosetta, Cassini-Huygens, and Juno	—
Pulfrich	Carl Pulfrich, German physicist who developed the blink-comparator used to discover Pluto	2020-08-05 · WGPSN
Simonelli	Damon Simonelli, American astronomer and Pluto geologist	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Zagar	Damon Francesco, Italian astronomer who carried out early studies of the orbit of Pluto	2020-08-05 · WGPSN

Dorsa

A dorsum is a ridge. Plutonian dorsa are named after underworlds in mythology. The following is a list of official and unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Pandemonium Dorsa	Pandæmonium, the capital of Hell in the poems of John Milton	—
Tartarus Dorsa	Tartarus, the pit of hell in Greek mythology	2017-08-08 · WGPSN

Faculae

A facula is a bright spot on the surface of a planet. Plutonian faculae are named after underworld creatures from mythology. The following is a list of official and unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team. Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Supay Facula	Supay, spirit who lived in the underworld in Quechua, Aymara, and Incan mythologies	—

Fluctūs

A fluctus is a terrain covered by outflow of liquid. Plutonian fluctūs are named after travellers to the underworld. The following is a list of official and unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3][5] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Dionysus Fluctus	The god Dionysus from Greek mythology, who travels to Hades (the underworld) to bring the playwright Euripides back	—
Mpobe Fluctus	Mpobe from Baganda mythology, a hero who willingly enters the underground world	—
Pere Porter Fluctus	Pere Porter [ca] is the character of a 16th-17th century moral novel who travels to hell	—
Xanthias Fluctus	Xanthias from Greek mythology, the slave who joins Dionysus on his travel to the underworld	—

Fossae

A fossa is a ditch-like feature. Plutonian fossae are named after figures associated with underworld myths. The following is a list of official and unofficial names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Beatrice Fossa	Beatrice, visits hell and asks Virgil to guide Dante in Dante's Inferno	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Djanggawul Fossae	Djanggawul, Yolngu creation figures from the Island of the Dead	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Dumuzi Fossa	Dumuzi, Sumerian fertility god who replaced his wife Inanna in the underworld	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Hermod Fossae	Hermod, son of Odin, who rode the horse Sleipnir into the underworld to retrieve his brother Balder	2019-09-25 · WGPSN
Inanna Fossa	Inanna, Sumerian goddess who descended to the underworld	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Kaknú Fossa	Kaknú, legendary Ohlone hero who travelled to the underworld to battle Wiwe. He resembled a peregrine falcon.	2019-08-13 · WGPSN
Mwindo Fossae	Mwindo, legendary Nyanga hero who travelled to the underworld	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Sleipnir Fossa	Sleipnir, the steed Odin rides to the underworld	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Sun Wukong Fossa	Sun Wukong, the Chinese Monkey King who went to Hell	—
Uncama Fossa	Uncama, Zulu tale hero who followed a porcupine underground and came upon the village of dead souls	2020-01-03 · WGPSN
Virgil Fossae	Virgil, Dante's guide through Hell and Purgatory in The Divine Comedy	2017-08-08 · WGPSN

Labyrinthi

A labyrinthus is a complex of intersecting valleys or ridges. Plutonian labyrinthi are named after gods of the underworld. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[6] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Xolotl Labyrinthus	Xolotl, god of fire, lightning, and death in Aztec mythology	—

Lacūs

A lacus is a small plain, derived from the word lake. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3][5] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Alcyonia Lacus	Lerna, also known as the Alcyonian Lake, was an entry to the netherworld in Greek mythology.	2019-05-30 · WGPSN

Lineae

A linea is an elongated marking. Plutonian lineae are named after space probes. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Chandrayaan Linea	Chandrayaan program, a series of Indian lunar probes (2008-present)	2023-04-11 · WGPSN
Hiten Linea	Hiten, the first Japanese lunar probe (1990)	2023-04-11 · WGPSN
Luna Linea	Luna program, a series of Soviet lunar probes (1959–1976), including the first man-made object to reach the Moon	2023-04-11 · WGPSN
Surveyor Linea	Surveyor program, a series of U.S. lunar probes (1966–1968)	2023-04-11 · WGPSN
Yutu Linea	Yutu, a series of Chinese lunar rovers (2013-present)	2023-04-25 · WGPSN
Zond Linea	Zond program, a series of Soviet space probes (1964–1970)	2023-04-11 · WGPSN

Maculae

A macula is a dark spot. Plutonian maculae are named after underworld creatures from fiction and mythology. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Cadejo Macula	Cadejo, from Central American folklore	—
Hun-Came Macula	One of the two leading Maya death gods from the Popol Vuh	—
Meng-pʻo Macula	Meng Po, the Chinese goddess of forgetfulness after death	—
Morgoth Macula	Morgoth, a figure of evil in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien	—
Vucub-Came Macula	One of the two leading Maya death gods from the Popol Vuh	—

Montes

A mons is a mountain. Plutonian montes (mountain ranges) are named after explorers and adventurers. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Al-Idrisi Montes	Muhammad al-Idrisi, medieval Almoravid explorer	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Baret Montesa	Jeanne Baret, first woman to have completed circumnavigation voyage of the globe	2018-04-26 · WGPSN
Coleman Mons	Bessie Coleman, American aviator, first African-American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot license	2021-09-02 · WGPSN
Elcano Montes	Juan Sebastián Elcano, completed Magellan's circumnavigation after his death	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Hillary Montes	Edmund Hillary, first to scale Mount Everest (with Tenzing Norgay)	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Piccard Mons	Auguste Piccard, conducted measurements of the upper atmosphere using balloons to reach an altitude of 23 kilometers	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Pigafetta Montes	Antonio Pigafetta, participated in Magellan's circumnavigation and wrote its only first-hand record	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Tabei Montes	Junko Tabei, first woman to climb both Mount Everest and the Seven Summits	2019-11-19 · WGPSN
Tenzing Montesb	Tenzing Norgay, first to scale Mount Everest (with Edmund Hillary)	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Wright Mons	Wilbur and Orville Wright, built and flew the first successful airplane	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Zheng He Montes	Zheng He, medieval Chinese explorer	2021-02-03 · WGPSN

a.^ Formerly Baré Montes

b.^ Formerly Norgay Montes

Paludes

A palus (literally swamp) is a small plain. Paludes on Pluto are named after historic explorers. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3][5] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
David-Néel Palus	Alexandra David-Néel, Belgian–French explorer, best known for her 1924 visit to Lhasa, Tibet	—
Hyecho Palus	Hyecho, Korean traveler and scholar, crossed Asia from China to Arabia and back in 724-727	2020-01-02 · WGPSN
Tinné Paludes	Alexine Tinne, Dutch explorer in Africa, the first European woman to attempt to cross the Sahara	—

Plana

A planum is a plateau or high plain. One (Sputnik Planum) was initially identified on Pluto; but it has since been recognized to be a planitia.

Planitiae

A planitia is a low plain, distinct from plana as they are located on lower terrain. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Lunokhod Planitia	The Lunokhod program, two Soviet lunar rovers	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Ranger Planitia	The Ranger program, a series of unmanned probes sent to the moon in the 1960s	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Rosetta Planitia	The Rosetta mission, the first mission to orbit and land a spacecraft on a comet.	2022-05-07 · WGPSN
Sputnik Planitia	Sputnik 1, the first satellite to orbit the Earth	2017-08-08 · WGPSN

Regiones

A regio is a region geographically distinct from its surroundings. Plutonian regiones are named after underworld spirits in fiction and mythology, or after scientists associated with the study of Pluto. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Belton Regio	Michael J. S. Belton, British astronomer	2023-09-22 · WGPSN
Harrington Regio	Robert Sutton Harrington, American astronomer, the co-discoverer of Charon and first person to calculate the Pluto system's mass	2024-09-11  · WGPSN
Lowell Regio	Percival Lowell, whose ideas about Planet X inadvertently led to Pluto's discovery	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Safronov Regio	Viktor Safronov, Russian astronomer	2023-09-22 · WGPSN
Sharaf Regio	Shafika Gil'mievna Sharaf, Soviet astronomer	2024-09-11  · WGPSN
Tombaugh Regio	Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto	2017-08-08 · WGPSN

Rupēs

A rupes is an escarpment. Plutonian rupēs are named after explorers. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Cousteau Rupes	Jacques Cousteau, undersea explorer	—
Eriksson Rupes	Leif Erikson, first Norse explorer of America	—
Piri Rupes	Piri Reis, creator of one of the first maps of the New World	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Ride Rupes	Sally Ride, American astronaut and physicist, first American woman in space	2021-09-02 · WGPSN

Terrae

A terra is an extensive landmass. Plutonian terrae are named after space probes. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Hayabusa Terra	Hayabusa, the first spacecraft to return a sample of an asteroid	2017-08-08 · WGPSN
Pioneer Terra	The Pioneer program, which included the first probes to Jupiter and Saturn	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Vega Terra	The Vega program, which dropped probes onto Venus's surface along with the first close flybys to Comet Halley	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Venera Terra	The Venera program, first landers on Venus	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Viking Terra	The Viking program, two Mars orbiters and landers	2021-02-03 · WGPSN
Voyager Terra	The Voyager program, the first probes to visit Uranus, Neptune and interstellar space	2017-08-08 · WGPSN

Valles

A vallis is a valley. Plutonian valles are named after historic explorers. The following is a list of names chosen by the New Horizons team.^[3][5] Names that have been officially approved are labeled as such.

Feature	Named after	Name approved (Date · Ref)
Heyerdahl Vallis	Thor Heyerdahl, Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer	—
Hunahpu Valles	Hunahpu, one of the mythological Maya Hero Twins	2019-05-30 · WGPSN
Ivanov Vallis	Lyubomir Ivanov, Bulgarian scientist and Antarctic explorer	—
Kupe Vallis	Kupe, legendary discoverer of New Zealand	—
Lemminkäinen Valles	Lemminkäinen, a hero of the Finnish national epic the Kalevala, traveled to the underworld	2022-05-07 · WGPSN
Väinämöinen Valles	Väinämöinen, central character of the Finnish national epic the Kalevala, traveled to the underworld	2022-05-07 · WGPSN

See also

• Geography of Pluto
• Geology of Pluto
• List of geological features on Charon