A giant crater with mysterious origins
With a diameter of more than 2,500 kilometers, the South Pole-Aitken basin is not only one of the largest lunar craters , but also one of the oldest. Formed around 4 billion years ago, it bears witness to a giant impact which profoundly modified the surface of the Moon. Due to its size and age, it is a sort of “time capsule”, containing invaluable geological secrets about the first stages of the formation of the Moon and perhaps even the Earth.
Until Until recently, the dominant theory about the origin of this crater suggested that a celestial object had struck the Moon at a shallow angle. According to this hypothesis, the impact would have been more “oblique”, a bit like a rock ricocheting on water. This theory was supported by the observation of the elliptical shape of the pool, which seemed to correspond to the trajectory of the object that had formed it. Researchers also believed that this impact did not throw debris into the lunar South Pole region, an area now considered crucial for future space missions, such as those planned by NASA's Artemis program.
However, a new study led by the University of Maryland sheds light on another theory that could challenge this traditional view.
A new look
As part of recent work, researchers used data of unprecedented resolution, collected using NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, to study the complex structure of the basin. Using this innovative approach, the team observed more than 200 mountain-like geological formations around the basin. These formations are considered to be remnants of the materials projected during the initial impact, and…Read more on Science and life
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