NASA, USGS release detailed geological map of the moon

What is the News?

The United States Geological Survey(USGS) in partnership with NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute has released ‘The unified Geologic Map of the Moon’. 

How was the Unified Geologic Map of the Moon created?

The map has been created with the help of the information gathered from six Apollo-era regional maps. It also uses data from recently held satellite missions to the Moon.

What information does the map provide?

The map showcases the Moon in a 1:50,00,000-scale size.

The near side of the Moon which is the most explored side can be seen full of pink colours that show the Imbrian era formation. This formation took place around 3.5 billion years ago when the Moon’s surface was hit by many asteroids, causing irregular formations.

What is the significance of this map?

Blueprint for Future Human Mission: This new map will serve as the blueprint of the Moon’s surface geology for future human missions.

Helps in understanding the Moon Surface: It will come in handy to understand the surface of the Moon. It will also help researchers learn the history behind the formations located on the Moon’s surface.

Source: The post is based on the article “NASA, USGS release detailed geological map of the moon” published in Down To Earth on 9th June 2022.