A Chinese probe, Chang’e 6, recently returned from the moon carrying samples that could hold important evidence supporting the main theory of how the moon was birthed.
The capsule touched down on the plains of Inner Mongolia, a northern Chinese region bordering Russia, on Tuesday.
Landed on the Mysterious Far Side of the Moon
Notably, the Chang’e probe landed on the far side of the moon, unlike all previous missions.
This side of the moon is always facing away from Earth due to gravitational forces.
Landing on the Far Side Especially Challenging
Landing on the far side of the moon presents a new set of challenges to space agencies in comparison to landing on the nearer side.
As it is facing away from Earth, there is no way to communicate directly with the probes, so the China National Space Agency (CNSA) had to make use of a satellite orbiting the moon to relay signals.
Far Side Very Different From Near Side
The far side of the moon, as far as we know it currently, is very different from the more familiar near side.
Its surface is far more rugged, with lots of craters and lacking the near side’s distinctive ‘seas’. It’s often known as the dark side of the moon, although it does receive sunlight.
Moon Origin Theories Incomplete
At present, theories on the origins of the moon lack sufficient evidence to be conclusive.
This is because the USA’s Apollo missions and the Soviet Union’s Luna missions have only gathered evidence from the closer side. To confirm or refute theories, evidence must be gathered from other parts of the celestial body.
Neil Armstrong Mission Changed Prevailing Theory
The last time the theory of the moon’s origin was last altered in response to evidence was the 1969 Apollo mission, with crew members Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
This evidence changed the prevailing theory and led to our current consensus on how the moon formed.
Moon as a Collection of Asteroids
There have been many theories of the moon’s formation in history, including the 18th century theory that it was passing and ‘captured’ by the Earth’s gravity.
The most recently debunked theory was that of it being an agglomeration of orbiting asteroids, that came together and clumped to form the moon.
Massive Impact Theory
The current theory, however, is far more dramatic. It says that the moon was formed in a single, violent event.
A body the size of Mars may have collided with the Earth and knocked off a huge chunk of the planet, one of the largest of which remained in orbit around the Earth as the moon.
Evidence Still Lacking
Despite this theory being widely accepted, it still lacks sufficient evidence to confirm it.
It’s possible, although scientists believe unlikely, that evidence from the Chang’e 6 mission could refute this theory if it contains unexpected mineral composition in its samples.
China Will Share Samples
To aid with global research into the theories surrounding the moon’s formation, China have offered to share their samples, including with NASA, the US space agency.
Although China and the US compete with each other in many sectors, theories of the moon, so far, have managed to remain outside geopolitics.
