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3mo ago

Asteroid Impact Created Two Grand Canyons on the Moon in Minutes

New research reveals the lunar canyons, comparable in size to Earth's Grand Canyon, were formed by debris from a massive asteroid strike 3.8 billion years ago.

View of two grand canyons on the Moon radiating from the Schrödinger impact basin near the lunar south pole on the lunar far side. View is from orbit looking obliquely across the surface, like an astronaut in an approaching spacecraft.
Two grand canyons on the moon radiating from the Schroedinger impact basin near the lunar south pole on the lunar far side are seen in this undated image using data obtained by NASA's robotic Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. NASA/SVS/Ernie T. Wright/Handout via REUTERS
The walls of the Grand Canyon seen from river level, while dramatic, are not as high as those of the lunar grand canyons.
Artistic rendering of astronauts standing on the edge of the Vallis Schrödinger canyon on the moon.

Overview

  • The Schrödinger impact basin, located near the Moon's south pole, was created by an asteroid traveling over 35,000 miles per hour and measuring 15 miles in diameter.
  • The impact released energy equivalent to 130 times the global nuclear arsenal, ejecting debris that carved two canyons, Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck, in under 10 minutes.
  • The canyons measure up to 280 kilometers long, 17 kilometers wide, and 3.5 kilometers deep, making them comparable in size to Arizona's Grand Canyon.
  • NASA's Artemis missions, targeting the lunar south pole region, aim to collect ancient rock samples exposed by the impact to study the Moon's early history and its connection to Earth's formation.
  • The research highlights the asymmetrical debris pattern, suggesting minimal coverage over proposed Artemis landing zones, preserving access to primordial lunar materials.