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Scientists have discovered an underground cave on the moon. It is at least 150 meters deep and could be an ideal place for humans to build a permanent base on the lunar surface.
Scientists said the underground cave can be accessed through an open pit in the Sea of Tranquility, just 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the spot where Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first set foot on the moon in 1969.
The discovery, which was first published in the journal Nature Astronomy, said that two Italian researchers – Lorenzo Bruzzone and Leonardo Carrer of the University of Trento – discovered the caves by analysing radar data collected by NASA’s Lunar Exploration Orbiter (LRO).
Italian researchers said analysis of radar data collected by LRO revealed that the Mare Tranquillitatis crater leads to a cave that is 45 metres wide and 80 metres long.
Analysis of radar data collected by NASA’s Lunar Exploration Orbiter (LRO) revealed that the Mare Tranquillitatis crater, the deepest crater known on the Moon, leads to a cave up to 45 metres wide and up to 80 metres long, an area equivalent to 14 tennis courts. The cave is located about 150 metres below the surface.
He said the cave was formed millions or billions of years ago when lava flowed on the moon, creating a tunnel through the rocks.
“The lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to finally be able to prove their existence,” AP quoted an email written by the Italian researchers.
The cave was formed from an “empty lava tube” millions or billions of years ago, Bruzzone said, adding that such features could serve as human habitats for future explorers because they were “a natural shelter against the harsh lunar environment.”
Scientists said the cave could serve as a natural shield for astronauts from harmful cosmic rays, solar radiation and micrometeoroids.
“The main advantage of caves is that they provide the main structural parts of a potential human base without the need for complex construction activities,” said Italian researcher Leonardo Carrer.
Scientists further said that there may be some caves on the south pole of the moon, which is the planned landing site for NASA astronauts later this decade. These permanently shadowed craters are believed to contain frozen water reserves that could be used as drinking water and rocket fuel.
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Published: July 15, 2024, 10:45 PM IST
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