Hum Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 The moon is shrinking ever so slightly, but there is no cause for alarm, according to a new study that has discovered a clutch of previously unseen faults on the lunar surface from photos taken by a NASA probe. In all, 14 previously undetected small thrust faults -- the physical markers of contraction on the lunar surface -- were found to be globally distributed around the moon in thousands of photos returned by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. These fault structures -- called lobate scarps -- are among the youngest landforms on the moon. Their distribution across the lunar surface (as opposed to regional distribution) suggests that cooling in the moon's interior is the likely cause of the contraction, or shrinkage, said study leader Thomas Watters, a scientist with the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The surface is pushed together by internal forces," Watters told SPACE.com. "When it breaks, it literally thrusts material upward because the surface is contracting. That contraction, we think, is coming from internal cooling of the moon. We now know that's a global process, so it means the moon is shrinking globally -- very likely because it is continuing to cool." According to the study, there has been about 328 feet (100 meters) of change in the moon's radius over the course of about 1 billion years, said Watters. "This is a very small amount," he said. "I don't want to give the impression that the moon is dramatically shrinking away." The research is detailed in the Aug. 20 issue of the journal Science. more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyfrog Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 "suggests that cooling in the moon's interior is the likely cause of the contraction, or shrinkage" It was in the pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted August 21, 2010 Author Share Posted August 21, 2010 Those invading Martians are eating away the cheese ! :shifty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted August 21, 2010 Administrators Share Posted August 21, 2010 So it's shrinking and moving away, at least we won't know what its like to have no moon in the near future :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jamesyfx Subscriber² Posted August 21, 2010 Subscriber² Share Posted August 21, 2010 So the moon is a big round space testicle. Who knew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoredBozirini Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 So the moon is a big round space testicle. Who knew? That would make Earth? The other testicle? There is always one bigger than the other one, but to this scale?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phenom II Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 That would make Earth? The other testicle? There is always one bigger than the other one, but to this scale?! If we are the balls, I dont wanna see the d*ck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincent Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 So it's shrinking and moving away, at least we won't know what its like to have no moon in the near future :p Recession of he moon is and will cause Earth's spin to slow down. Eventually Earth might stop spinning altogether, that's if the sun doesn't swallow us up when it evolves into a red giant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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