Photo: NASA / YouTube / clone
Have you ever wondered about the origin of the moon? A few months ago, if you asked this question to an astronomer, he would probably say that the satellite is the result of the intersection of debris that was launched into space after the Earth collided with another celestial body.
But a study recently published in Astrophysical Journal Letters It is suggested that such an answer is partially wrong.
The collision between the celestial bodies actually occurred 4.5 billion years ago, but simulations conducted on a supercomputer indicate that the moon formed within hours after the collision, and not gradually, as previously thought.
Scientists have put forward the new hypothesis at NASA’s Ames Research Center, the University of Glasgow and Durham University.
The faster formation theory of the moon also suggests a different internal composition of the satellite, which could explain the reasons why samples brought in from space missions have properties similar to those seen in rocks on Earth. a look:
Let’s move on to the event: when the Earth was still very young, it collided with an object the size of Mars, which was given the name Theia. If the collision generated debris that gradually led to the formation of the moon, the satellite would be expected to consist of material more similar to that of the smaller celestial body.
This is not what happens. The outermost layer of the moon is rich in materials that originated from the earth. In addition, during simulations, scientists have shown that a rapidly forming object can live near the Earth without being torn apart by the gravitational influence of the planet. In this way, the moon would have entered its orbit and remained until today.
NASA plans to bring more samples from the satellite in the future Artemis Program Tasks, which can help scientists clarify the origin of the moon. Having such information will also make it easier for researchers to obtain details about the Earth’s past and its evolution in the universe.
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