For centuries, the Moon has captivated people with its mysterious qualities and ever-changing appearance.
Despite humans setting foot on its surface, there is still much to learn about its mysteries and untapped potential.
Recently, scientists have made a remarkable discovery hidden within the Moon’s South Pole-Aitken basin, a colossal structure weighing over 2.18 billion kilograms and stretching more than 300km in depth and 2,000km in length.
This finding sheds light on a previously unknown aspect of the Moon, showcasing its immense size and weight in a region known for its vast craters.
The team of researchers, all based in the United States, proposed that the unusual discovery could be composed of metal from an asteroid’s core or oxides formed from a magma ocean’s crystallization.
Lead author Peter B. James from Baylor University in Houston suggested that one possible explanation for this additional mass is that the asteroid’s metal remains embedded in the Moon’s mantle.
To emphasize the enormity of this finding, James likened it to burying a pile of metal five times larger than the Big Island of Hawaii underground, highlighting the significant and unexpected mass they detected.
NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission played a crucial role in uncovering this significant discovery by monitoring fluctuations in the Moon’s gravitational field.
The data obtained through GRAIL enables researchers to analyze the Moon’s internal structure in detail.
The South Pole-Aitken Basin has long been a focal point of scientific interest due to its exceptional characteristics.
This region not only provides insights into the Moon’s internal makeup and historical evolution but also hints at the possibility of uncovering more enigmatic secrets yet to be revealed.
