Al-Uzza Undae

Al-Uzza Undae
Feature typeDune field
LocationVenus
Coordinates67°42′N 90°30′E / 67.70°N 90.50°E / 67.70; 90.50
Diameter150 km (93 mi)
DiscovererMagellan, early 1990s
Naming1994
EponymUssa, an Arabian goddess

Al-Uzza Undae is one of the two major dune fields on Venus. The dune field was named after the Ussa, an Arabian goddess of the desert. The name "Al-Uzza Undae" was officially approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1994. It was discovered by the NASA spacecraft Magellan, in the early 1990s.

Geology and characteristics

Its coordinates are 67°42′N 90°30′E / 67.70°N 90.50°E / 67.70; 90.50, and it is 150 kilometres (93 mi) in diameter. As of 2014, it was thought to have recent activity.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Al-Uzza Undae". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program. Retrieved 2 January 2026. (Center Latitude: 67.70°, Center Longitude: 90.50°; Planetographic, +East)
  2. ↑ Monaghan, P. (1990). The Book of Goddesses and Heroines. St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications.
  3. ↑ Zimbelman, James; Titus, Timothy; Diniega, Serina; Fenton, Lori K.; Neakrase, Lynn (22 December 2021). "Planetary Dunes Tell of Otherworldly Winds". Eos.org. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "Fourth International Planetary Dunes Workshop". www.hou.usra.edu. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  5. ↑ Lorenz, Ralph D.; Zimbelman, James R. (2014), "Venus Dunes", in Lorenz, Ralph D.; Zimbelman, James R. (eds.), Dune Worlds: How Windblown Sand Shapes Planetary Landscapes, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 169–176, doi:10.1007/978-3-540-89725-5_14, ISBN 978-3-540-89725-5, retrieved 11 December 2025