Chandrayaan-3’s Pragyan Rover Makes Lunar Discoveries

Chandrayaan-3’s Pragyan rover has made unique discoveries on the Moon’s surface. This mission aimed to study the lunar south polar region. Pragyan reported an ancient crater close to its landing site, but this was not the only finding; the images revealed even more astonishing facts.

The pictures taken by the rover showcased a remarkable absence of large boulders (greater than 1 meter) nearby. This observation occurred at Shiv Shakti Point, located in the Moon’s south polar region. It indicates that the large boulders once present in the area have undergone billions of years of space weathering and erosion, suggesting the region’s extreme age.

Another astonishing aspect for scientists was the question of where the material currently covering the region originated. The answer lies in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, one of the largest impact craters in the solar system. The SPA basin, primarily located on the far side of the Moon, extends to regions near the lunar south pole, just 350 kilometers southwest of Shiv Shakti Point.

Over billions of years, numerous impacts in the SPA basin have ejected materials, which have gradually filled craters in surrounding regions, including the site explored by Pragyan. Using high-resolution images, scientists identified ray-like structures on the lunar surface. These rays indicate the direction in which materials from impact craters were ejected and deposited.

Pragyan’s observations confirmed that the region has received material not only from the SPA basin but also from nearby impact craters. Researchers estimated the thickness of the ejecta layer at the landing site to be around 2,300 meters, with approximately 1,400 meters contributed by the SPA basin and 580 meters from 12 other nearby basins.

Even relatively newly formed craters contributed to this layer of material. Pragyan’s findings have provided Indian scientists with a wealth of information about the Moon’s geological history, particularly regarding how the region’s ancient surface has been shaped over time.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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