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The dark plains of the Moon were mistaken by ancient astronomers for actual seas, and so were given the Latin name for 'seas', maria (singular mare). In reality they are the remains of basalt flows from the Moon's interior, often associated with major impact events on its surface. The maria are almost entirely confined to the visible face of the Moon. Very few appear on the farside, and all of those are tiny in comparison with the vast plains of the nearside.
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