Digital Museum of Planetary Mapping

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Sketch map of terrains on Enceladus

Smith BA et al. 1982 A New Look at the Saturn System: The Voyager 2 Images, Science , Jan. 29, 1982, New Series, Vol. 215, No. 4532 (Jan. 29, 1982), pp. 504-537

Geologic terrain map of Mercury (1975)

The first geologic map of Mercury Trask NJ, Guest JE 1975 Preliminary Geologic Terrain Map of Mercury. Journal of Geopgys. Res. 80 17 2461-, 2 maps on color plate 1a, 1b

Ronca’s canal map of Mars (1970)

One of the last canal Maps of Mars, after the space age began. THE PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE MARTIAN SURFACEApproximately 70 per cent of the surface is covered by deserts or continents, which appear to be of reddish-yellow colour. Darker areas, called maria (singular mare) occupy approximately 27 per cent of thesurface. … The remaining portion […]

The first photoelectronic (albedo) map of the Moon

These are the first maps where photographic albedo was converted into exact numerical values. Source: A photoelectric-photographic study of the normal albedo of the Moon, accompanied by an Albedo map of the Moon 1970 https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp599E

Martian albedo features with topography (1973)

“These charts were inspired by the National Geographic Society. The original artwork was prepared at Lowell Observatory in cooperation with David W. Cook, assistant chief cartographer of the Society,and a color rendition was distributed with the February 1973 issue of National Geographic Magazine as a supplement to a popular article by Kenneth F. Weaver. The […]

Paleogeographic map of the Moon (1971)

Drawings by Don Davis. Middle Imbrian End of Imbrian 3.3 Ga Today

Planetary Cartography Information Tables

International Catalog of Planetary Maps 1600-2020

Searchable catalog of planetary maps from the beginning (1600) until today. This catalog aims to be complete and includes hundreds of maps not in our digital collection.

International Catalog of Planetary Maps

Citation: H. I. Hargitai, M. Pitura 2018 International Catalog of Planetary Maps 1600–2017. 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018 (LPI Contrib. No. 2083)

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Feature Database

Feature maps, databases and catalogs contain spatial information of a single type of geologic or other feature. We have a separate table where we collect information on where such databases are published.

Integrated Database of Planetary Features

Citation: H Hargitai 2016 Metacatalog of Planetary Surface Features for Multicriteria Evaluation of Surface Evolution: the Integrated Planetary Feature Database. DPS 48/ EPSC 11 Meeting #426.23, Pasadena, CA. The complete database is available at https://planetarydatabase.wordpress.com/

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Quads

Maps are split into smaller mapping regions called quadrangles. This table contain information on the location, identification and names of map quads.

Quads

Quadrangle information is taken from maps. For more information see: Ronald Greeley and Raymond M. Batson: Planetary Mapping (Cambridge Planetary Science)

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Reference Frames

Planetary maps are based on reference frames that define the origin of the coordinate system, the shape and size of the map surface. This table contains information on coordinate systems and reference frames for each mapped planetary body in our Solar System.

Reference Frames

For more information, see: Henrik Hargitai, Konrad Willner and Trent Hare: Fundamental Frameworks in Planetary Mapping: A Review in: H. Hargitai (ed.), Planetary Cartography and GIS, Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62849-3_4

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