Moon Science: Three Impact Events | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Three Impact Events | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Spectacular 4500-meter diameter crater (10.67°S, 225.82°E) formed at the intersection of the rims of Lowell W crater (18-kilometer diameter) and the Orientale basin (750-kilometer diameter). Impact melt and debris spilled from the low point of this not-named crater, 1800-meters downslope from the crater rim high point. East-to-west view, spacecraft altitude 76 kilometers, M1231377442LR

Full oblique image of this dramatic corner of the Orientale basin; east-to-west view, spacecraft altitude 76 kilometers, acquired on October 17, 2016, M1231377442LR

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) World Aeronautical Charts (WAC) topographic map highlighting the location of the 4500-meter diameter crater shown in the opening image (arrow), Lowell W, and Orientale basin rim that runs from the upper center to the lower left. Contour interval 500 meters, map width 140 kilometers

The face of the Moon has been predominantly shaped by three processes: impact, volcanism, and tectonism. The trio of impact events that resulted in this spectacular corner of the Moon occurred over nearly four billion years of lunar history; first, the Orientale basin (>3.7 billion years), Lowell W (one to three billion years), and finally, this unnamed crater (likely <100 million years).

Explore the complex scenery of this landscape; in particular, notice the giant slump block (landslide) that spilled onto the basin floor when Lowell W formed.

This year, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) celebrates its 16th anniversary orbiting the Moon (2009-2026). This mission has given scientists the largest volume of data ever collected by a planetary science mission at NASA. Considering that success and the continuing functionality of the spacecraft and its instruments, NASA awarded the mission an extended mission phase to continue operations. LRO continues to be one of NASA's most valuable tools for advancing lunar science.

Learn more about NASA's LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University
Text Credit: Mark Robinson
Release Date: Feb. 20, 2023

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