Vulcan Planum

E489480

Vulcan Planum is a vast, relatively smooth and geologically young plain on Pluto’s moon Charon, likely formed by cryovolcanic or tectonic resurfacing.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Vulcan Planum canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (33)

Predicate Object
instanceOf cryovolcanic plain
plain
planetary geological feature
associatedWith extensional tectonics on Charon
contrastsWith Mordor Macula
coordinateReference Charon coordinate system
discoveredBy New Horizons spacecraft
linked to: New Horizons
discoveryMission New Horizons
evidenceFor cryovolcanic flows on Charon
flybyDate 2015-07-14
geologicalAge geologically young
hasFeature fractured terrain boundaries
low-relief surface
imagedBy New Horizons LORRI camera
linked to: LORRI

New Horizons Ralph instrument
indicates recent resurfacing on Charon
likelyOrigin cryovolcanic resurfacing
tectonic resurfacing
locatedIn Charon southern hemisphere
locatedOn Charon
locatedSouthOf Mordor Macula
nameApprovalYear 2018
nameApprovedBy International Astronomical Union
namedAfter Vulcan (fictional planet in Star Trek)
linked to: Vulcan
observedFrom New Horizons flyby trajectory
orbitsWith Pluto–Charon system
partOf Charon geology
planetaryBody Charon
surfaceCharacter relatively smooth
surfaceComposition water ice–rich crust
surfaceMorphology broad plains
few large impact craters
system Pluto system

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Charon hasFeature Vulcan Planum