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Blog Post How an Ancient Asteroid Strike Carved Out Two Grand Canyons on the Moon

The moon may appear serene, but its past is anything but tranquil. More than a billion years ago, two massive impacts left lasting impressions in the form of grand canyons. These formations are reminiscent of Earth's Grand Canyon and serve as a reminder that our celestial neighbor has a rich geological history.

Imaging from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) provides new insights into these ancient impact craters, which formed independently but now appear to merge at first glance. The combined feature is known as the Orientale basin, with each of its constituent craters receiving their own names Nectaris, Humorum, and Crisium.

Orientale Basin

The moon's Orientale basin sits in the southeastern region. It was formed about 3.8 billion years ago by an asteroid impact that was approximately 60 miles wide. The resulting crater spans a diameter of more than 900 miles, making it one of the largest on the moon's visible side.

Nectaris Basin

The Nectaris basin sits within the larger Orientale feature and is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty - Venus (Aphrodite in Greek mythology). This smaller crater was created by a projectile that measured roughly 20 miles across. It has a diameter of around 200 miles.

Humorum Basin

The Humorum basin lies partially inside the Nectaris crater and shares its name with the Latin word for red, as both formations have distinct reddish hues. A similar impact to the one that formed the Nectaris basin created this feature. The projectile size was again approximately 20 miles across; the diameter of the resulting crater is around 200 miles.

Crisium Basin

The Crisium basin is located within the larger Humorum formation and shares its name with the Latin word for cream, as the color of this crater resembles that of fresh cream. Another similar impact created this feature, with a projectile size again approximately 20 miles across; the diameter of the resulting crater is around 200 miles.

The combined effects of these two massive impacts have led to one of the moon's most impressive geological features - the Orientale basin.

The Grand Canyon of the Moon

This magnificent formation bears a striking resemblance to Earth's Grand Canyon. The moon's version measures approximately 400 miles long, with depths of around 5 miles and widths of up to 50 miles in places.

This article serves as a reminder that our celestial neighbor has its own rich geological history. These formations serve as a lasting tribute to the violent past of the moon.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.