Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Space
Space
Science
Julian Dossett

The moon's oldest crater is super round - and that's great news for NASA's Artemis astronauts

This view of the Moon's cratered South Pole was seen by NASA's Clementine spacecraft in 1996.

New research published in the Earth and Planetary Science Letters journal suggests the moon's oldest crater, the South Pole-Aitken basin, may be round, as opposed to the oval shape than scientists previously believed it to be.

The circular diameter means the impact that created the South Pole-Aitken basin, which stretches nearly 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) across the far side of the moon, may have been much deeper. This new understanding could give scientists important geological resources that reveal early lunar history.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.