Planets and Moons ID: 11612

Peeking Into Lunar Pits

Released on July 17, 2014

Since 2009, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has spotted hundreds of conspicuous holes on the Moon. These steep-walled “pits" vary from a few meters to nearly 1 kilometer wide, and can reach depths of over 100 meters. Scientists think that pits may form when part of the Moon’s surface collapses above a lava tube, and high-resolution photographs from LRO suggest that many of the pits widen underground. If so, lunar pits might provide shelter from radiation, meteorite impacts, and extreme temperatures, making them valuable sites for future exploration.

For More Information

http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/lunar-pits-could-shelter-astronauts-reveal-details-of-how-man-in-the-moon-formed/

Credits

Tyler Chase (USRA): Animator
Chris Meaney (HTSI): Animator
Dan Gallagher (USRA): Video Editor
Dan Gallagher (USRA): Producer
John Keller (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Noah Petro (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.): Project Support

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio