India's Chandrayaan-3 mission continues to make remarkable discoveries, even after its successful moon landing in 2023. The mission’s Pragyan rover, exploring the Moon’s south polar region, has now uncovered an ancient, 160-kilometre-wide buried crater near its landing site.
This important discovery was made as the rover navigated the highlands, about 350 kilometres from the South Pole-Aitken basin, the largest and oldest impact site on the Moon.
Scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad have published these findings in Science Direct.
The crater is believed to be older than the South Pole-Aitken basin itself, making it one of the Moon's most ancient geological features. Over time, it was mostly buried by debris from later impacts, especially from the South Pole-Aitken event.
Images taken by Pragyan’s cameras revealed the crater’s structure, providing critical insights into the Moon’s geological history.
This discovery offers scientists a rare chance to study deeply buried lunar material dating back to some of the earliest impacts on the Moon. The area, rich in debris from various impacts, has long been a key site for lunar exploration.
Scientists worldwide are excited about these new findings, which could significantly enhance our knowledge of the Moon's past.
