7 lesser-known facts about the moon | 2010-2020 discoveries
Here are seven astonishing lunar revelations from the past decade that transformed our understanding of the moon and its enigmatic nature. Uncover the moon's hidden stories -- water, shrinking, tail, metal, origin, quakes, and cosmic companions.
Here are seven astonishing lunar revelations from the past decade that transformed our understanding of the moon and its enigmatic nature. Uncover the moon's hidden stories -- water, shrinking, tail, metal, origin, quakes, and cosmic companions. (Getty Images)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Sep 10, 2023 16:50 IST
In the span of just a decade, our understanding of the moon has been transformed by a series of lesser-known discoveries that have captured the fascination of scientists and space enthusiasts alike. From unearthing hidden water reservoirs to unveiling the moon's seismic secrets, the moon's enigmatic nature continues to surprise us.
These remarkable findings from 2010 to 2020 have reshaped our perception of Earth's nearest cosmic neighbour, and as we step into the next decade, the moon's mysteries beckon us with even greater anticipation and curiosity.
advertisement
1. MYSTERY OF MOONWATER
In 2018, NASA confirmed the existence of water on the moon's surface, stashed in tiny bubbles within lunar soil. Unlike Earth, the moon doesn't have a substantial atmosphere to trap water vapour.
This discovery upended the decade-long belief that the moon was arid and sparked interest in exploring the moon as a potential water resource for future missions.
2. THE SHRINKING MOON
In 2016, NASA revealed an interesting fact: the moon is shrinking! With extensive analysis of the satellite's surface, scientists found that it has become about 150 feet "skinnier" due to its interior cooling and contracting over the last several hundred million years.
3. THE MOON'S TAIL
Just like comets, our moon has a tail too! A NASA spacecraft in 2009 confirmed this fact.
This tail is formed by the sun's nuclear furnace pushing tiny sodium atoms off the moon's surface to create a faint tail that always points away from the sun.
4. METALLIC MOON MYSTERY
Breakthrough research in 2020 suggested that the moon's subsurface may contain high amounts of metal, especially iron and titanium.
This finding strongly suggests that the moon's creation involved a far more violent collision than previously thought.
5. EARTH AND MOON, THE SIAMESE TWINS
Scientists in 2012 found evidence that the moon might be a chip off the old block, i.e., Earth itself.
Studies showed that isotopes from both bodies were almost identical, hinting the moon might have been part of the Earth millions of years ago.
6. THE MOONQUAKE MYSTERY
Despite the lack of tectonic activities on the Moon, seismometers installed during Apollo Missions recorded moonquakes.
The mystery was solved in 2019, when scientists discovered the moon was tectonically active, with surface cracking under the extreme cold of its two-week-long night leading to these quakes.
7. THE LONELY PLANET'S FRIEND
The moon has mini-moons! In 2020, astronomers found a tiny asteroid (2020 CD3) captured by Earth’s gravity, creating a temporary mini moon, although it left Earth's orbit after a few months.
---
The last decade has seen a resurgence in lunar studies that has revolutionized our understanding of this celestial companion. With new mysteries to solve and technologies to deploy, the next decade holds even more promise.