Name: Gorgeous New Map of the Moon Is Most Detailed to Date
Brand: smithsonianmag.com
SKU: smithsonianmag-com-19
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Gorgeous New Map of the Moon Is Most Detailed to Date

preview

Called the , the map combines Apollo-era data from the 1960s and 1970s with modern satellite observations to yield a dizzying catalog of geological features, including topology and the ages and chemical nature of the rocks that speckle the lunar surface.“This map is a culmination of a decades-long project,” Corey Fortezzo, USGS geologist and lead author on this work, says in a . “It provides vital information for new scientific studies by connecting the exploration of specific sites on the moon with the rest of the lunar surface.”Scientifically speaking, the map could help guide future crewed missions to the moon, or serve as an interactive tool for students here on Earth. But really, the new rendering is intended for everyone to enjoy—no previous lunar experience necessary.Each millimeter on the map represents 5 kilometers on the moon—a 1:5,000,000 scale. Its layout is also color-coded, with each hue representing its own type of rock and the era from which it hails, giving viewers a sense of the moon’s storied geologic history. Yellow, for instance, indicates rock from the moon’s (current) Copernican period, which began a billion years ago, Ryan F. Mandelbaum reports for . Reds and purples, on the other hand, denote materials with volcanic or lava flow origins, according to Maria Temming at .Bolstered with elevation data from JAXA’s SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) mission and topography data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the map is, in a sense, a comprehensive summary of everything scientists have figured out about the moon’s surface so far. It also establishes a new set of terminologies for describing the moon’s rock layers, which have been labeled inconsistently in past works, writes Chelsea Gohd for .“Maps like this … help set a common [language] for scientists to understand what we’re talking about,” USGS research geologist James Skinner tells Gizmodo.WIth the new rendering in hand, scientists will have an easier time identifying hazards on the lunar surface, as well as potential spots where future missions might look to land. Researchers will also be able to download the map and overlay their data, according to Gizmodo.Intended as a developing resource, the map will continue to be tweaked as lunar research continues.If anything, the map’s creation is an incentive for further exploration. “People have always been fascinated by the moon and when we might return,” USGS Director and former NASA astronaut Jim Reilly says in the statement. “So, it’s wonderful to see USGS create a resource that can help NASA with their planning for future missions.”Recommended VideosPost a CommentMost Popular

Called the , the map combines Apollo-era data from the 1960s and 1970s with modern satellite observations to yield a dizzying catalog of geological features, including topology and the ages and chemical nature of the rocks that speckle the lunar surface.“This map is a culmination of a decades-long project,” Corey Fortezzo, USGS geologist and lead author on this work, says in a . “It provides vital information for new scientific studies by connecting the exploration of specific sites on the moon with the rest of the lunar surface.”Scientifically speaking, the map could help guide future...

public

Staff writer @TheAtlantic, covering science. also senior producer @storycollider, senior editor @Open_Notebook; formerly @nytimes. pro prokaryote. she/her

Katherine J. Wu

Smithsonian Magazine

Official Twitter feed for Smithsonian magazine. @replies may be reprinted in the magazine. Legal: http://si.edu/Termsofuse

smithsonianmag.com

Credible

Speculation

Anecdotal Evidence

Generalization

Stacking the Deck

Appeal to Authority

Straw Man

Slippery Slope

Emotional Appeal

Red Herring

False Dilemma

Illogical

Moral Equivalency

Ad Hominem

Correlation w/o Causation

Semantics

Begging the Question

Faulty Analogy

Non Sequitur

Bandwagon

Dogmatism

Failing Occam's Razor

Biased

Pure Opinion

Hit Piece

Racial Bias

National Bias

Religious Bias

Financial Incentive

Political Agenda

Gender Bias

Misused Image/Video

Study Misinterpreted

Mistake

Misused Term

Science Misrepresented

Factual Error

Satire

Surface Level

Lack of Reliable Sources

Sensational

Not Credible

Investigative

Balanced

Well Sourced

Great Context

sports

entertainment

U.S.

international

business

technology

science

culture

politics

media

health

Gorgeous New Map of the Moon Is Most Detailed to Date

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS