Mare Australe

Mare Australe is a dark, smooth area on the Moon, located near its south pole. Its name means "Southern Sea" in Latin, reflecting its appearance resembling an ocean. It is a lunar mare, formed when basaltic lava filled large impact basins billions of years ago, creating flat, dark plains. Mare Australe is particularly interesting because it’s near the Moon’s south pole, an area being studied for potential water ice deposits in permanently shadowed craters, which could support future exploration. Its geological features provide insights into the Moon's volcanic history and the distribution of resources on its surface.