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South Pole Pool - Aitken, located on the far side of the Moon, is the largest impact crater in the Solar System, with a diameter of over 2000 km. It was formed about 4,33 billion years ago as a result of the collision of an asteroid, the size of which was measured in tens of kilometers. This event occurred shortly after the formation of the Moon, leaving traces that may help explain the formation mechanisms of our natural satellite.
Future Artemis missions that will land astronauts in the South Pole area are increasingly likely to find deep rocks uplifted by an asteroid impact. According to scientists, these rocks may contain materials from the lunar mantle, which will allow testing the leading hypothesis about the origin of the Moon. According to this theory, the Moon formed from debris after the early Earth collided with a hypothetical Mars-sized planet.
Modern data obtained thanks to the probe Lunar Orbiter Recognition, confirmed that the shape of the basin is almost perfectly circular, indicating a vertical asteroid impact. This increases the chances of a wide distribution of debris available for future research. One potential landing site for astronauts is Mount Mouton, which may be part of the rim of an ancient basin.
The study of the basin is not only of fundamental importance for understanding the history of the Moon, but also of practical value for planetary science. It will allow to deepen the knowledge about the formation of craters and the dynamics of the early solar system, opening up new perspectives in the study of the origin of planets and satellites.
- Astrophysicists have proposed a new version of the origin of the Moon: A new study challenges the giant impact hypothesis and suggests an alternative scenario for the formation of the Moon by its gravitational capture by Earth from a binary system of small bodies.
- Researchers have explained the differences in the appearance of the visible and reverse side of the Moon: The impact that formed the giant South Pole-Aitken impact crater created a powerful heat flow in the interior of the Moon, which led to differences in the composition and appearance of its visible and reverse sides.
