Directional differences in craters’ optical properties suggest that the solar wind, not tiny meteorites, is the main driver of space weathering on the Moon.
Moon
Posted inNews
Exact Moonlight Measurements Could Aid Earth-Observing Missions
A new telescope’s unprecedented study of subtle variations in lunar light could finally give Earth-facing satellites a common reference point for their observations.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Comparing Craters
An analysis suggests that craters degrade faster on Mercury than the Moon, raising questions about landscape evolution on different planetary bodies.
Posted inNews
Administration Sets Moon as Destination
The U.S. National Space Council, an advisory body that has been dormant since 1993, focused on lunar travel, civil and commercial space opportunities, and national security when it met last week.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Choosing a Lunar Landing Site
A recent article in JGR: Planets described the geological characteristics of two candidate sites for the upcoming Chinese mission to the Moon.
Posted inNews
Howling at the Moon with Eclipse Enthusiasts
From the reporters who stared at goats to poets who tweeted haiku, eclipse watchers across the nation flaunted their weird.
Posted inNews
Sixteen Eclipse Studies That Illuminate Science from the Shadow
From jets that will chase the Moon’s shadow to a telescope designed to mimic the eyes of a mantis shrimp, projects across the United States will pack science into mere minutes when day turns to dark.
Posted inScience Updates
Signs of Water in a Moon Rock
NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) Lunar Volatiles Workshop; Laurel, Maryland, 15–17 November 2016
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Quickly Is Mercury’s Surface Evolving?
New measurements of impact craters on Mercury’s smooth plains suggest that the topography of the solar system’s innermost planet is changing at twice the rate of landforms on the Moon.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Meteorites Mix Moon’s Surface at Both Small and Large Scales
A three-dimensional model of material transport suggests that impact cratering can mix lunar soils across distances of more than 100 kilometers.