Scientists have discovered two massive canyons on the moon that were formed in a matter of just 10 minutes when an asteroid or comet struck its surface around 3.8 billion years ago. The canyons, located near the south pole and comparable in size to the Grand Canyon, are straight-line scars on the lunar surface.
According to research published in Nature Communications, the debris from the impact traveled at speeds of up to 2,200 miles per hour, excavating a tremendous volume of rock that was launched into space before crashing back down. The canyons were carved out by rocks within this debris curtain hitting the surface in smaller impact events.
The discovery has relevance for future lunar exploration, particularly NASA’s Artemis mission. The Schrödinger impact basin, where the canyons are located, is near the planned exploration zone and will allow astronauts to collect ancient rocks that will provide insights into the moon’s early history.
The canyons, named Vallis Planck and Vallis Schrödinger, measure 174 miles long and 2.2 miles deep for one, and 168 miles long and 1.7 miles deep for the other. The impact that formed them was estimated to be around 15 miles in diameter, similar to the asteroid that struck Earth 66 million years ago.
The study’s lead author, geologist David Kring, noted that the discovery provides a unique opportunity for scientists to test hypotheses about the moon’s creation and early surface composition. The canyons’ location near the lunar south pole also means that ancient rocks will be accessible for sample collection, making it easier for astronauts to collect samples from the earliest epoch of lunar history.
The impact event was part of a period of heavy bombardment in the inner solar system caused by space rocks dislodged following changes in the orbits of giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. This event marked one of the last major impacts on both the moon and Earth during this time.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/asteroid-impact-moon-blasted-two-160739358.html