Large Cave Found On Moon; Why Are Lunar Scientists Excited?

New Delhi: In an exciting discovery, a sizeable cave on the moon has been found.

An international team of scientists confirmed the existence of the cave, around 400 kilometres from the Apollo 11 landing site in the Sea of Tranquility, where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history by becoming the first humans to walk on moon’s surface in 1969.

An Italian-led research team made the discovery after analysing radar data collected by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).

As per their findings, published in the journal Nature Astronomy on Monday, Mare Tranquillitatis pit — deepest known pit on the Moon — leads to a cave approximately 45 metres wide and up to 80 metres long.

The cave has been found to be located about 150 metres beneath the lunar surface and is roughly equivalent to 14 tennis courts in terms of area.

Researchers are excited because the cave could potentially pave the way for future lunar habitats.

Describing the cave as “probably an empty lava tube,” Lorenzo Bruzzone from the University of Trento in Italy said that such features could serve as natural shelters for future lunar explorers.

He opined that these underground structures could provide protection from the harsh environment on the moon, such as cosmic rays, solar radiation and micrometeorites, while maintaining relatively stable temperatures inside.

“Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove the existence of one,” wrote Bruzzone and Leonardo Carrer, also from University of Trento in an email, reported Associated Press.