Night after night skywatchers are roused into the countless riddles that await in the starry night above. While we’ve learned a great deal about the Moon in recent years, a new revelation has recently arose that has completely changed our understanding of the Lunar mysteries.
In 2020, The German Aerospace Center and the University of Münster recently disclosed new estimates regarding the age of the Moon, and the results were jarring. According to their research and investigation model, the Moon as we know it is 85 million years younger than formerly concluded.
Credit Citronade/Wikipedia.org
This new information has given us fresh insight into the formation of the Moon and the early days of our planet. Scientists have long believed that the Moon was formed some 4.51 billion years ago when a Mars-sized object collided with Earth (Theia Impact). At the time, the newly formed planet was still in its infancy, with the core still taking shape.
The impact caused a chunk of the Earth’s mantle to be ripped away and flung into orbit, where it slowly coalesced into the Moon. Until now, it was believed that the Moon had solidified relatively quickly after its formation, with its hard, rocky exterior taking shape within just 35 million years.
However, new computer simulations have shown that it may have taken much longer for the Moon to fully crystalize. In fact, it could have taken anywhere from 150 to 200 million years for the Moon’s magma ocean to fully solidify. This has led to a revised estimate for the Moon’s age, which is now believed to be around 4.45 billion years.
This new information has opened up new avenues of research and given us a deeper understanding of the early days of our solar system. It’s also raised some intriguing questions about the formation of Earth’s core, which was likely impacted by the collision that gave birth to the Moon.
It’s amazing to think that after more than 50 years of studying the Moon, we’re still uncovering new information that changes our understanding of this fascinating solar sister. As we continue to explore the earth and sky already known to generations before us, it’s clear the learning never ends.
If you’re a lover of astronomy and want to keep up with the latest discoveries, be sure to follow our blog for all the latest news and insights. Who knows what other secrets we might uncover as we continue our journey through the cosmos?
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Author: Luna Starlight