This is an incomplete list of Martian canals from the erroneous belief in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that "Martian canals" existed on the surface of the red planet. These canals were named by Giovanni Schiaparelli and Percival Lowell, amongst others, after real and legendary rivers of various places on Earth or the mythological underworld. A partial list of names are provided below with the regions that the canals were thought to connect.
A NamePronunciationLocationˈSource of name Acalandrus From a stream in Lucania, Italy, now called Calandro Acampsis From a river in Pontus that flowed into the Black Sea, now called Çoruh/Chorokhi Acesines From a Sicilian river, now called Cantara; also the name of Chenab, one of the rivers of the Punjab Achana From a river in northern Arabia Achates From a Sicilian river now called the Drillo, in which agates were found Acheloüs From Achelous, a river in western Greece Acheron From Acheron, both a real river in Epirus and a mythical river of Hades Acis From a Sicilian river now called Fiume di Iaci Aeacus N to S: runs through Cebrenia to the junction of Styx and Boreas canals Aeolus From Aeolus, keeper of the winds in Greek mythology Aesis From an Italian river, now called Fiumesino Aethiops Means "the Ethiopian" Agathodaemon N to S: connects Tithonius Lacus to Aonius Sinus, opposite Protei Regio; just W of Aurea Cherso Means "good spirit" Alcyonius Alpheus Runs NS through Hellas From the river Alpheios in the Peloponnesus of Greece Ambrosia S to N: connects Solis Lacus with Bosphorus Gemmatus, running through Thaumasia From ambrosia, the legendary food of the gods Amenthes Amphrysus From a Thessalian river, now called Armiro Amystis From a river of India Anapus From an Acarnanian or Sicilian river Anian After the Strait of Anián, a mythical water passage in the American northwest Antaeus NW to SE: from the junction of Cerberus and Eunostos canals to the Atlantis region From Antaeus, son of Earth, a gigantic opponent of Heracles Anubis From the Egyptian god Anubis Apis From the Egyptian god Apis Araxes E to W: connects Phoenicis Lacus with the E end of Mare Sirenum From Araxes, a river in eastern Anatolia, northern Iran Argaeus Flows S from pole to junction of Pyramus and Pierius canals Arges Arnon N to S: connects Arethusa Lacus to Ismenius Lacus From the small river Arnon now in the Kingdom of Jordan Aroeris NE to SW: from "Copais Palus" to Ismenius Lacus Arosis Arsanias From an Armenian river Artanes Ascanius From the Trojan Ascanius, son of Aeneas Asclepius From the Greek deity of healing Asclepius Asopus Astaboras E to W: connects Syrtis Major to Ismenius Lacus From a name for the Atbarah river, a branch of the upper Nile Astapus From a name for the Blue Nile river Astusapes From a name for the White Nile river Atax Athesis From the river Adige in Venezia Athyr From a form of the name of the Egyptian goddess Hathor Avernus NE to SW: connects Ammonii Fons to the E end of Mare Cimmerium via Aquae Apollinaris From Avernus, a river of Hades Avus Axius Axon
B-D Bactrus From a river of Bactria Baetis From the classical name of the Guadalquivir river Bathys From a river of Pontus Bautis Belus Boreas E to W: connects Propontis to Anian canal From Boreas, the Greek name for the North Wind Boreosyrtis E to W in curve between Utopia and Dioscuria Brontes Cadmus From the Greek hero Cadmus Caicus Callirrhoë Means "flowing beautifully" Cambyses Cantabras Carpis Casius NW to SE: connects Copaïs Palus to Nodus Alcyonius Casuentus Catarrhactes Caÿster – Cedron NW to SE; connects the Jaxartes canal to Arethusa Lacus From the Brook of Cedron near Jerusalem Centrites Cephissus From any of several rivers in Greece called Cephissus Ceraunius A broad canal, or pair of canals, running NS from Tharsis down to between Tempe and Arcadia Cerberus NE to SW: connects Trivium Charontis to the W end of Mare Cimmerium From the name of the dog Cerberus that guards the gates of Hades Cestrus Chaboras Chretes Choaspes From Choaspes, a river of Susiana, Persia Chrysas Chrysorrhoas N to S: connects Lunae Lacus to Tithonius Lacus Means "flowing with gold" Cinyphus Clitumnus Clodianus Cocytus Named for Cocytus, a mythical river of Hades Cophen Coprates Corax Cyaneus Cyclops Southern continuation of Galaxias canal, running from the junction of Cerberus and Eunostos to Mare Cimmerium Named for the one-eyed monster Cyclops of Greek myth Cydnus Cyrus Daemon Daix Daradax Dardanus E to W: connects Niliacus Lacus to Ceraunius canal Dargamenes Deuteronilus E to W: connects Ismenius Lacus to Niliacus Lacus via Dirce Fons Means 'Second Nile' Digentia Dosaron Drahonus
E-F Elison Eosphoros NW to SE: connects Phoenicis Lacus to Solis Lacus Means "bringer of dawn" Erannoboas A river of India Erebus From Erebus, a name for the Underworld Erigone Erinaeus Erinnys E to W: connects the W end of Mare Sirenum to Titanum Sinus in Memnonia From the mythical Erinyes Erymanthus Eulaeus Eumenides NW to SE: the SE continuation of Orcus canal, from Nodus Gordii to Phoenicis Lacus From another name for the Erinyes Eunostos Euphrates N to S: connects Sinus Sabaeus to Ismenius Lacus From the river Euphrates in Mesopotamia, one of the four rivers of the Garden of Eden Euripus SE to NW, connects Mare Tyrrhenum and Mare Hadriaticum, running through Ausonia After the strait between Euboea and Boeotia Eurotas After the river Eurotas in Greece Eurymedon Eurypus Evenus aka Euenus Feuos aka Fevos [ ˈfivɒs ] Fortunae Means "of Fortune"
G-H Gaesus Galaesus Galaxias N to S: from Anian to the junction of Cerberus and Eunostos S of Elysium Ganges N to S: connects Lunae Lacus to Aurorae Sinus From the Ganges, a river of India Ganymede From Ganymede, the cupbearer of Zeus Garrhuenus Gehon N to S: connects Mare Acidalium to the W end of Sinus Sabaeus From Gihon, one of the four rivers of Eden Also spelled Gihon [ ˈdʒajɒn ] Gigas NE to SW: connects Ascraeus Lacus to Titanum Sinus via Lucus Maricae From the mythical monsters called Gigantes Glaucus Gorgon Connects Mare Sirenum and the Eumenides canal near Nodus Gordii From the mythical monster Gorgon Gyes Gyndes From the Gyndes flowing into the Tigris Hades N to S: connects Trivium Charontis and Propontis From the Greek name for the Underworld and its ruling deity, Hades Halys Harpasus Hebe Hebrus Heliconius E to W: connects Sithonius Lacus to Copaïs Palus Helisson Hephaestus From the god Hephaestus Heratemis Hiddekel NE to SW: connects Ismenius Lacus to Fastigium Aryn at the western end of Sinus Sabaeus From the Hebrew name for the Tigris, a river of Mesopotamia and one of the four rivers of Eden Hipparis Hippus Hyblaeus NE to SW: connects Anian canal to Hephaestus canal Hyctanis Hydaspes From the Greek name for the Jhelum river of India Hydraotes SE to NW; connects Margaritifer Sinus to Lunae Lacus After the Greek name for the Ravi river of India Hydriacus Hylias Hyllus Hyphasis Hypsas Hyscus
I-M Idalius Ilissus Indus N to S: connects Niliacus Lacus to Margaritifer Sinus From the Indus, a river of India Iris N to S: connects Phoenicis Lacus to Ceraunius canal Named for the goddess of the rainbow Iris Isis From the Egyptian goddess Isis Issedon Jamuna N to S; connects Niliacus Lacus to Aurorae Sinus From the Yamuna or Jumna, a river of India Jaxartes From an old name for the Syr Darya, a river of Transoxiana Jordanis From the river Jordan in the Holy Land Kison Labotas Laestrygon N to S: connects Trivium Charontis to Mare Cimmerium Leontes Lethes N to S: connects Hephaestus canal to Syrtis Minor From Lethe, a mythical river of Hades Liris Maeander Magon Malva From the river Malua in Mauretania Margus Medus Medusa From the mythical monster Medusa Mogrus
N–O Nectar Runs E from Solis Lacus to Nectaris Fons (near Protei Regio) From nectar, the legendary drink of the gods Neda A river of the Peloponnesus Nepenthes NE to SW: from junction of Thoth and Triton canals to Syrtis Major via Lacus Moeris Nereides From the nymphs called Nereids Nestus A river of Thrace Neudrus A river of India Nilokeras E to W: connects Niliacus Lacus with Lunae Lacus Means "horn of the Nile" Nilosyrtis A broad canallike feature, running N from the tip of Syrtis Major to Coloë Palus Nilus From the Nile, the river of Egypt Nymphaeus A river of Armenia Oceanus From Oceanus, a mythical river surrounding the world and the Titan who shared its name Ochus A river of Bactriana Opharus A river of Sarmatia Orcus NW to SE: connects Trivium Charontis to Nodus Gordii, where it turns into Eumenides canal From Orcus, a synonym of Hades Orontes E to SW: connects Serbonis Palus to Sabaeus Sinus From the Orontes, a river of Syria Orosines Oxus NE to SW: connects the Deuteronilus and the Indus canals From an old name for the Amu Darya, a river of Central Asia
P-R Pactolus From the river Pactolus in Anatolia Padargus Palamnus Parcae Peneus Runs EW through Hellas From the Peneios river in the Peloponnesus of Greece Permessus Pierius E to W: connects Copaïs Palus and Arethusa Lacus Phasis N to S: connects Phoenicis Lacus and Aonius Sinus Phison N to S: connects Coloë Palus to Sinus Sabaeus From Pishon, one of the four rivers of Eden Phlegethon From the Phlegethon, a mythical river of Hades Protonilus E to W: connects Coloë Palus and Ismenius Lacus Means "first Nile" Psychrus Pyramus S from pole via Copaïs Palus to junction of Boreosyrtis and Cadmus canals Pyriphlegethon NW to SE: connecting Propontis and Lacus Phoenicis From Pyriphlegethon ("fiery Phlegethon"), a mythical river of Hades Python From the monster Python which Apollo killed Rha From a classical name for the river Volga Rhyndacus From the classical river Rhyndacus in Anatolia
S-X Scamander S to N from Mare Chronium to Mare Cimmerium, between Electris and Eridania From the river Scamander in the Troad Sesamus From a Paphlagonian river Simoïs S to N from Mare Chronium to Mare Cimmerium between Phaëthontis and Electris From the river Simoïs in the Troad Sirenius N to S: connects the Tanais canal near Nerigos with the E end of Mare Sirenum Means "of the Sirens Siris From an Italian river in Lucania Sitacus NE to SW: connects Coloë Palus to Fastigium Aryn From the name of a river in Persis Steropes From the name of a Cyclops Styx From the mythical river Styx in Hades Surius From a river of Colchis Tanaïs From Tanais, an old name for the river Don in Sarmatia Tantalus From Tantalus, a mythical king imprisoned in Hades Tartarus N to S: connects Trivium Charontis to Titanum Sinus From Tartarus, a name for the Underworld Tedanius From an Illyrian river Thermodon Thoth From the name of the Egyptian god Thoth Thyanis Possibly an error for Thyamus, the name of a river of Epirus Titan From the Titans, the relatives and opponents of the gods Tithonius Triton NW to SE: connects Nepenthes canal to the W end of Mare Cimmerium From the seadeity Triton Tyndis Typhon E to W: connects Deltoton Sinus to Sirbonis Palus Typhonius Ulysses From Ulysses, the Roman name for Odysseus Uranius E to W: connects Lunae Lacus to Ascraeus Lacus Xanthus N to S: connects Mare Tyrrhenum to Promethei Sinus, between Eridania and Ausonia Means "yellow" Xenius NE to SW: connects Arethusa Lacus to Dirce Fons
Sources
References
External links Mars and Its Canals by Percival Lowell (1906) Mars by Percival Lowell