The Chinese lunar rover Yutu-2, which resumed operations on February 6 after being forced to “hibernate” during a cold moonlit night, discovered a curious stone sample. The Yutu-2 traffic team called it “milestone” (kilometer pole). In turn, the scientists of the Chang’e-4 mission decided that this elongated stone deserves more careful study.
The find aroused the interest of other lunar explorers. “It seems to be in the shape of a shard and sticking out of the soil. This is definitely unusual. “Dan Moriarty, a NASA program scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, based in Greenbelt, Maryland, told Space.com.
The scientist noted that both the shard-like shape and the pronounced “ridge” running along the edge of the rock seem to indicate that it is geologically young and came here relatively recently.
“I would definitely guess the origin as an impact ejection from some nearby crater. It is possible that rock with this aspect ratio could have been formed as a result of a process known as chipping, where undamaged rock fragments are blown off the nearby surface. “, – suggested Moriarty.
If you notice an error, select it with the mouse and press CTRL + ENTER.