USGS releases most comprehensive map of moon till date

New Delhi : The moon has remained one of the most fascinating celestial bodies for the space explorers. While the humans have already reached the moon, setting up humans there would be one of the greatest achievements for humans.

The astronomers who have been working for the idea wants to make sure that when it happens everything remain safe and under control. But the mere idea needs a lot of research and hard work from the scientists.

To solve this problem, researchers have come up with a detailed map of the moon with unprecedented detail. The moon, which oddly looks like it has been playing paintball in the map, was assembled as a whole in the map from six different lunar maps that were created during the Apollo era.

The USGS has compiled a map, naming it Unified Geologic Map of the Moon, explaining  different splashes of colour identify a discrete rock or sediment formation, which consists of craters, basins, and even ancient lava fields.

The detailed map will act a blessing for future moon projects as the researchers will be knowing the best place to conduct their desired goal on the moon.

The new lunar map is not only a collage of Apollo-era data, but it also includes new data from the myriads of moon missions that have taken place ever since. The modern data includes the poles, north, and south, which were captured by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the area around the equator was filled up with the details collected from Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s SELENE lunar orbiter.

The implications of this map are huge, as a new round of moon missions is being readied; this map could come in handy when trying to make decisions related to the moon’s geography.