The United States Geological Survey (USGS), in a collaborative effort with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Lunar Planetary Institute, has released a unified geologic map of the Moon. This will be a comprehensive guide that will be useful for researchers, scientists, students, and the general public. Among the resources used to create this map are six Apollo-era regional maps and data from recent satellite missions to the Moon.
The Importance of the New Map
Notably, the new map is expected to prove critical in future human missions to the Moon, essentially serving as a definitive blueprint of the Moon’s surface geology. It will also enhance our understanding of the moon’s surface, helping researchers to delve into the history behind the various formations found on the lunar surface.
Interestingly, the map includes a new crater, around 65 feet wide, created when a piece of a spacecraft from China’s Chang’e 5-T1 lunar mission hit the Moon.
About the Moon
The Moon, Earth’s only natural satellite, offers an intriguing subject to explore. It’s the fifth largest moon in our solar system and helps stabilize our planet’s wobble, thereby moderating our climate. Its distance from Earth is approximately 240,000 miles, and it has a very thin atmosphere, referred to as an exosphere.
Understanding the Phases of the Moon
The Moon undergoes four main phases – new, first quarter, full, and last quarter. The new moon occurs when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, causing the side of the Moon in shadow to face the Earth. On the contrary, the full moon phase is when the Moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, and thus the illuminated side of the Moon faces Earth. The first and last quarter phases occur when the Moon is at a right angle with respect to the Sun when viewed from Earth.
Missions Related to the Moon
There have been several significant missions aimed at exploring the Moon. These include India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, the USA’s Artemis I moon mission, and China’s Chang’e-5 Mission.
Previous Year Questions in UPSC Civil Services Examination
These questions related to space technology were posed in the previous year’s UPSC Civil Services Examination. Among them were questions on the purposes of different spacecrafts such as Cassini-Huygens, Messenger and Voyager 1 and 2. Also included was a question about ‘Bhuvan’, a geoportal of ISRO with 3D imaging capabilities of India and a question regarding the objective of the US Space Agency’s Themis mission.
