Billions of years ago, a massive asteroid crash landed on Earth's moon. The asteroid tore two gigantic channels into the lunar surface. These massive chasms were created in a area on the back side of the moon.

    The asteroid measured about 15 miles across and blasted its way through the moon's crust. Giant rocks and debris were hurled out from the impact. These rocks then created the incredible canyons.

    The asteroid first passed over the lunar south pole. The debris from the asteroid's final resting spot left  two canyons. The astounding size of the canyons is similar to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

    It is demonstrated that the 2 recent canyons were formed in less than ten minutes. Meanwhile, the Grand Canyon back on Earth took millions of years to form.

    The asteroid crash could easily have happened 3. 8 billion years ago. Researchers concluded that this time frame occurred by examining the moon's rocky surface. They used images from a satellite circling the moon and crunched the numbers.

    The asteroid's power was estimated to be over 130 times more than the nuclear arsenal of the entire world. The chasms were gouged out by the ejected debris raining down like missiles. Many of these rocks were propelled away from the moon's south pole.

    Due to this occurrence, the older, untouched rocks remain on the lunar surface. These rocks could tell us a lot about the moon. NASA is looking forward to collecting samples of these rocks for a possible mission.

    If the current Artemis program succeeds, astronauts may get a closer look at these canyons. The South Pole offers a treasure trove of ice deposits, frozen and hidden in the shadows. These deposits can potentially be transformed into rocket fuel and drinking water for future explorers.  Scientists are still weighing in the facts if these chasms are similar to the shadowy craters at the moon's south pole. They are planning to go over this once again. NASA's next moon missions might supply some of the answers.

    The moon has a great deal of rocky material left behind. The side of the moon that is facing Earths' surface did not get affected by this asteroid impact.

    The moon's far side remains untouched by this impact. Old rocks have accumulated here for over 4 billion years. These rocks can give us a peek at the moon and the Earth's past.

    The main goal is to make sure these valuable rocks are not buried by any asteroid debris on the planet's surface. This makes the rocks easier to collect for study.

    The large behemoth of an asteroid tore through the lunar surface and revealed some of the moon's older materials.

    This event made it easier for humans to study and collect the surface.

Moon's Mysterious Chasms

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