New research shows how the impact that created the Moon’s South Pole – Aitken basin is linked to the stark contrast in composition and appearance between the two sides of the Moon.
The face that the Moon shows to Earth looks far different from the one it hides on its far side. The nearside is dominated by the lunar mare – the vast, dark-colored remnants of ancient lava flows. The crater-pocked farside, on the other hand, is virtually devoid of large-scale mare features. Why the two sides are so different is one of the Moon’s most enduring mysteries.
Now, researchers have a new explanation for the two-faced Moon – one that relates to a giant impact billions of years ago near the Moon’s south pole.
A new study published in the journal Science Advances shows that the impact that...
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