Large impact basins on the near side of the Moon lack the annulus of thickened crust that far-side basins have. The difference can be linked to the thermal structure of the lunar crust.
Moon
Posted inEditors' Highlights
When Less is More—The Moon Sheds Light on Clouds at Night
Shining light into the dark reveals the unseen, but in some cases, it changes our perception of reality. Through moonlight we learn how the environment tricks our ways of finding nocturnal clouds.
Posted inNews
To Make a Big Moon, Start with a Small Planet
Why is our Moon so massive compared with Earth, and how might that configuration happen elsewhere?
Posted inNews
Lunar Water from China’s Lander Matches Apollo Samples
Chang’e-5’s results are the first in situ measurements of water on the Moon.
Posted inNews
How Much Did the Moon Heat Young Earth?
Tidal heating may have raised the surface temperature of early Earth and triggered global volcanism, a new study says.
Posted inNews
Asteroid May Be a Chip off the Old Moon
Spectral data suggest that Kamo‘oalewa, a near-Earth asteroid, has a composition similar to lunar rocks.
Posted inNews
NASA Prepares Its Artemis Gateway to Orbit the Moon
Throughout its anticipated 15-year tour of duty, the Gateway will serve as a station for astronauts and lunar landers—and enable new scientific discovery.
Posted inFeatures
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! A Declaration of the Rights of the Moon
What are the ethics of mining the Moon? Could humans cause environmental damage to Earth’s only satellite? And could a new Declaration of the Rights of the Moon be one way of mitigating those impacts?
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Moon’s Largest Crater Holds Clues About Early Lunar Mantle
An ancient impact splashed evidence of the Moon’s early mantle makeup onto its surface. Now researchers are piecing together models, maps, and samples to bring these mysteries to light.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
The Tumbling Boulders of Orientale Basin
Mapping boulder fields and boulder tracks highlights the seismic hazard still present on the Moon.