Lunar Craters Formed Rapidly After Asteroid Impact 3.8 Billion Years Ago

Recent studies indicate that giant canyons formed near the Schrödinger crater on the Moon's south pole within minutes following a massive asteroid impact approximately 3.81 billion years ago. The impact, equivalent to billions of times the force of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, ejected lunar crust debris at speeds reaching 4600 km/h. These ejecta created chains of secondary craters, contributing to the formation of structures like Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck, which extend up to 3.5 km deep and rival half the length of the Grand Canyon. Researchers suggest the primary mass of ejected material moved towards the northwest, avoiding areas NASA plans to land Artemis spacecraft. This suggests potential samples collected by Artemis missions could contain ancient lunar crust dating back 4.5 billion years, rather than asteroid fragments. These findings are crucial for understanding the early stages of Earth and its satellite's formation.