GeoCode is an API service that lets you look up the geographic coordinates of named features on other planets and moons. Just provide the name of a planetary body—like Mars, the Moon, or Europa—and the name of a feature, even if it's slightly misspelled or incomplete. The API uses fuzzy matching to find the closest match and returns the longitude and latitude in a clean JSON format, making it easy to integrate into scientific tools, educational apps, or space exploration projects.
The GeoCode API is designed to seamlessly integrate with visualization platforms like the OpenSpace project, enabling real-time access to planetary feature coordinates for immersive space exploration experiences. Developers can also use the API directly via simple tools like wget or any HTTP client. Just call the endpoint /1/search/PLANET?query=FEATURE_NAME, replacing PLANET with the name of the celestial body and FEATURE_NAME with the desired feature. The API returns a structured JSON object containing possible matches, including names, coordinates, diameters, and origin information—perfect for both automated systems and interactive applications.
Accessing the endpoint /1/list/PLANET will return a full list of all officially named surface features available for the specified planetary body. Replace PLANET with the name of a supported planet or moon—such as "mars", "moon", or "europa"—to retrieve a structured JSON array containing each feature's name, coordinates, diameter, and origin.
The /1/list endpoint, when accessed without any additional parameters, returns a JSON-formatted list of all supported planetary bodies available in the GeoCode API. This includes planets, moons, and other celestial objects that have officially recognized surface features.
All feature data served by the GeoCode API comes from the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, maintained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Visiting /1/search returns a complete list of all planetary bodies currently supported by the GeoCode API. This includes major planets, moons, and other celestial bodies recognized by the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Each entry in the list represents a valid target for the PLANET parameter in search queries, allowing users to quickly see which bodies can be queried for named surface features.