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FP TrendsApril 23, 2020 5:13:58 PM IST
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute has released a new map of the Moon. According to the USGS, the “authoritative map helps explain the 4.5 billion-year-old history of our closest neighbor in space.”
Called the “Unified Geological Map of the Moon”, it is a model of the moon’s surface geology for future human missions. The USGS has said it will be invaluable to the international scientific community, educators, and the general public.
The Unified Geological Map of the Moon will serve as a reference for lunar science and future human missions to the Moon. Credit: NASA / GSFC / USGS.
The digital map is available online now. and shows the geology of the moon at a scale of 1: 5,000,000.
USGS Director and former NASA astronaut Jim Reilly said it is wonderful to see the USGS create a resource that can help NASA plan its future missions.
“This map is the culmination of a decades-long project,” added Corey Fortezzo, a USGS geologist and primary author.
He went on to say that the map provides vital information for new scientific studies by connecting exploration of specific sites on the moon with the rest of the lunar surface.
The scientists used information from six regional Apollo-era maps along with data from recent satellite missions to the moon to create the digital map.
According to a report in CnetThe moon’s surface with its many markings acts as a historical record, with the new map using striking color patterns to distinguish between different time periods and geological formations from the moon’s past. Pink color dominates the map, denoting the Imbrian era of 3.5 billion years when the Moon was repeatedly hit by asteroids, creating impact craters that are now visible.
Meanwhile, NASA recently revealed that they are ready to launch their astronauts in a collaborative effort with SpaceX. The mission comes almost 10 years after the fatal space shuttle accident that closed its human space flight program.
Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken It will be part of the mission, whose launch is scheduled for Thursday, May 28 at 2:00 a.m. IST at Launch Complex 39A from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
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