Vulcan Planitia
An annotated map of Charon, with Vulcan Planitia in the southern hemisphere. | |
| Feature type | Plain |
|---|---|
| Location | Charon |
| Coordinates | 0°N 0°W / 0°N -0°E |
| Surface area | ~400 000 km2 |
| Discoverer | New Horizons |
Vulcan Planitia, /ˈvʌlkən pləˈnɪʃə/ or Vulcan Planum, is the unofficial name given to a large plain on the southern hemisphere of Pluto's moon Charon. It was discovered by New Horizons during its flyby of Pluto in July 2015. It is named after the fictional planet Vulcan in the science-fiction series Star Trek. The name is not approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as of 2024.