#Lunar Geology

[spacefinch]

ATTENTION, SAILOR MOON FANS:

Thank you for your attention.

[mechanical-drawing]

08 July 1876

[darkenergyslivers]

NASA’s Juno Gets a Close Look at Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io on Dec. 30, 2023 (via u/enknowledgepedia on r/spaceporn)

[nemfrog]

Prehistoric lunar volcano. Life. December 15, 1958. Cover detail.

Internet Archive

[tiredwitchplant]

Everything You Need to Know About Crystals: Moonstone (White)

Moonstone (The Sacred Stone of the Moon)

Color: White, cream, yellow, blue, green

Rarity: Easy to obtain

Hardiness: 6.5

Type: Oligoclase/ Feldspar

Chakra Association: Brow, Heart, Root, Third Eye, Sacral, Solar Plexus

Deities: All Lunar Deities, Diana, Selene, Artemis, Isis, Chandra

Birthstone: June

Astrological Signs: Cancer

Element: Water

Planet: Moon

Origin: Australia, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, USA

Powers: Femininity, Calmness, Balance, Luck, Intuition, Healing, Sensual, Patience, Reproductive Health

Crystals It Works Well With: Aquamarine, garnet, pearl

How It is Created: Moonstone is a type of feldspar composed of potassium aluminum silicate. It can be found in a number of colors, but all examples demonstrate a particular sheen known as labradorescence; an effect also found in labradorite and blue moonstone. Labradorescence is a light effect caused by parallel hairlike structures laid down within the crystal matrix, which reflect light back and forth, creating different-colored effects, including blue, yellow, silvery gray, and white.

History: Moonstone is the sacred stone of India. During the earliest traditions, the gem was said to have been embedded in the forehead of Ganesh, the four-handed god of the moon, since the beginning of time. It was written in Hindu mythology that moonstone is made from moonbeams, thus its luster.

The magnificent gem is never displayed outside for sale unless placed on a yellow cloth, as yellow is a sacred color. According to other legends, Moonstone can give gifts of prophecy and clairvoyance to the wearer. It could also clear the mind for the wearer to welcome wisdom. But to unlock this ability, Moonstone must be placed in their mouths during the full moon. Since ancient Egypt it is considered as a spiritual stone as it is seen as the gem of protection for night travelers.

Since Moonstone looks a lot like the moonshine, ancient Romans believed that it was formed from moonlight. If you look at the gem closely, you’ll see a dance of light that lurks on the insides of the gem. Ancient Greeks merged the names of the goddess of love (Aphrodite) and the goddess of the moon (Selene) and christened Moonstone as “Aphroselene”. While the Romans believed that the gem exhibits the image of their moon goddess, Diana.

It is also known as an aphrodisiac and when worn by two people, they will fall passionately in love when the moon is high. Moonstone was once called the “Travelers Stone” as it is said to protect those who travel at night, especially at sea.

What It Can Do:

When worn, can attract true love and arouse passion

If you give your lover a moonstone during the full moon, there will be passion between you always

Can settle disagreements and return things to peaceful status

Sewn into garments can enhance fertility

Wearing moonstone protects sensitive emotions

Enhances divination, prophetic dreams and prevents nightmares

Great for meditation and scrying

Represents yin and attracts peaceful energy

Protects travelers at night and by sea

Considered good luck

Balances male-female energies and aids men who want to get in touch with their feminine side

Affects the female reproductive cycle and alleviates menstrual-related diseases and tensions

Helps with digestive and reproductive systems, assimilates nutrients, eliminates toxins and fluid retention, and alleviates degenerative conditions of the skin, hair, eyes and fleshy organs such as the liver and pancreas.

How to Get the Best Out Of: Wear as a ring or place on the appropriate body part, would recommend the forehead, for spiritual experiences, and solar plexus or heart for emotions. Women may need to remove Moonstone at full moon.

How to Cleanse and Charge: Moonstone is relatively soft stone, 6 on the Mohs scale, so it should be handled with care as it can be easily scratched or crushed. Moonstone should be stored separate from other jewelry in its own soft bag or lined box and should not be worn while performing strenuous tasks that could result in it getting bumped or scratched. It can be cleaned with plain water and a soft cloth. If it gets scratched, take it to a jeweler to have it polished out.

Charge your moonstone in the light of the waxing moon and keep it out of direct sunlight.

Crystal Grid: N/A Couldn't find one that wasn't too complex @_@

Sources

[africa-space-com]

The role of lunar exploration in understanding Earth's history

Lunar exploration has long captured the imagination of scientists and space enthusiasts alike. But beyond the excitement of moon landings and potential colonies, exploring the moon plays a crucial role in helping us understand Earth's history. Here's how:

The Moon as a time capsule

The moon acts as a natural time capsule. Unlike Earth, which undergoes constant change due to weather, tectonic activities, and human influence, the moon's surface remains relatively undisturbed. This preservation allows scientists to study its surface and gain insights into the early solar system, including the formative years of our own planet.

Understanding Earth's early days

By examining lunar rocks and soil, scientists can learn about the conditions that prevailed in the early solar system. The similarities and differences between lunar and terrestrial samples can help us piece together the history of planetary formation. For instance, the analysis of moon rocks brought back by the Apollo missions revealed that both the Earth and the moon share a common origin, likely from a colossal impact event.

Impact history

The moon’s surface is dotted with craters, a record of countless impacts over billions of years. By studying these craters, scientists can understand the history of asteroid and comet impacts in our solar system. This information is crucial because the same impacts that shaped the moon have also affected Earth. Learning about these events helps us understand the frequency and scale of impacts that have influenced Earth’s geological and biological history.

Lunar geology and Earth's evolution

Moon exploration has uncovered much about the moon’s geology, which in turn informs our understanding of Earth's geological processes. The moon’s lack of atmosphere means that its surface has remained largely unchanged, preserving a pristine record of its geological history. By comparing this with Earth's dynamic geology, scientists can infer the processes that have shaped our planet over time.

The Moon as a mirror

The moon also serves as a mirror to study Earth. Observations of Earth from the lunar surface provide unique perspectives that are impossible to obtain from Earth itself. These observations help scientists understand Earth's atmosphere, weather patterns, and environmental changes from a different vantage point.

Preparing for the future

Lunar exploration is not just about looking back; it’s also about preparing for the future. By studying the moon, scientists and engineers are developing technologies and strategies that will be essential for future space exploration. This includes learning how to build sustainable habitats, utilize lunar resources, and protect astronauts from space radiation. These advancements will be crucial for future missions to Mars and beyond.

Lunar exploration offers a window into the past, providing valuable insights into Earth's history and the broader solar system. By continuing to explore and study the moon, we not only unravel the mysteries of our own planet’s origins but also pave the way for humanity’s future in space. The moon holds the keys to many questions about our past, present, and future, making its exploration a vital endeavor for scientific discovery and advancement.

[biology-geology-beaches-india]

The molluscan sterility that marked the seashore, marked the inshore rocks as well. Expect for a few rocks that bore white blotches of Oyster encrustations, these black boulders were almost lunar of aspect, their black surface devoid of seaweed, periwinkles, barnacles, and even for that matter skittering crabs, they wont to scamper back on the seashore rocks of Andhra Pradesh, India, in literal swarms.

The rocks themselves though were interesting in their physical geology characteristics - nice rounded humps that looked almost man-made, a shoal of rounded rocks as it were.

Dawis Beach, January 26, 2024, Digos City, Mindanao, The Philippines.

[spacenutspod]

SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 154 *The Moon's Age: A New Perspective New research suggests the Moon may be much older than previously believed. Evidence indicates the Moon's crust underwent extensive remelting around 4.35 billion years ago, obscuring its true age. This study proposes the Moon could be as old as 4.53 billion years, challenging past estimates and offering a new understanding of its formation. *Perseverance Rover's New Horizons NASA's Perseverance rover has reached the top of Jezero Crater's rim, marking a significant milestone in its mission. With the climb complete, the rover is set to explore new geological terrains, potentially uncovering some of the oldest rocks in the solar system. This new phase promises to deepen our understanding of Mars' ancient history. *Unveiling South Australia's Pink Sands Mystery The discovery of deep pink sands on South Australian beaches has provided insights into the tectonic history of the region. These findings, published in Communications Earth and Environment, suggest the existence of an ancient Antarctic mountain range, offering clues about the geological past of the supercontinent Gondwana. 00:00 This is space Time Series 27, Episode 154 for broadcast on 23 December 2024 00:47 New research suggests Earth's moon may be an awful lot older than previously thought 07:05 NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover has completed its long climb to summit 10:51 Deep pink sands washing up on South Australian beaches reveal previously unknown mountain range 19:05 Garnets are a metamorphic mineral which grows when deep in crust 20:51 Ambulance and taxi drivers have lowest death rate from Alzheimer's 22:57 New study finds men are quicker to buy drinks when women are scarce www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com www.bitesz.com 🌏 Get Our Exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. Enjoy incredible discounts and bonuses! Plus, it’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌ Check out our newest sponsor - Old Glory - Iconic Music and Sports Merch and now with official NASA merchandise. Well worth a look... Become a supporter of this Podcast for as little as $3 per month and access commercial-free episodes plus bonuses: https://www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com/about  ✍️ Episode References NASA Perseverance Rover https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ University of California, Santa Cruz https://www.ucsc.edu/ University of Adelaide https://www.adelaide.edu.au/ Communications Earth and Environment Journal https://www.nature.com/commsenv/ ANSTO's Opal Nuclear Research Reactor https://www.ansto.gov.au/research/facilities/opal-multipurpose-reactor British Medical Journal https://www.bmj.com/ Biological Letters Journal https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl Australian Sceptics https://www.skeptics.com.au/ Space Time with Stuart Gary https://spacetimewithstuartgary.com/

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Harrison Schmitt, the geologist who went to the Moon in Challenger, Apollo 17's LM, is quite the devotee.*

* Though given that Mr Schmitt also has form as a climate-change denier, I am not quite sure what he thinks the pressing need for fusion power actually is.

"The Moon: A History for the Future" - Oliver Morton

[tenth-sentence]

Never before has it had tire tracks across its surface or its boulders eroded by hammer blows.

"The Moon: A History for the Future" - Oliver Morton

[us-the-voices-and-more-voices-2]

one of these day's you guys will understand the absolute chaos that keeps happening with us. but until then you will get ridiculous snippets that make 0 sense.

anyway, <3

[scientificinquirer-blog]

DAILY DOSE: Obesity drugs not linked to suicidal thoughts; Controversy surrounds private company trip to the moon.

NO SAFETY CONCERNS. A recent study suggests GLP-1 agonists, used for obesity and diabetes treatment, don’t increase suicidal thoughts, countering previous concerns. The study, analyzing over a million U.S. health records, found no link between these drugs (including Ozempic and Wegovy) and suicidal ideation, possibly indicating a protective effect. However, experts urge caution, noting the…

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Geology Vocabulary

for your next poem/story (pt. 1)

Abyssal plain - A flat region of the deep ocean floor.

Aeolian - Describes materials formed, eroded, or deposited by or related to the action of wind.

Braided stream - A sediment-clogged stream that forms multiple channels that divide and rejoin.

Colluvium - A general term applied to loose and incoherent deposits, usually at the foot of a slope or cliff and brought there chiefly by gravity.

Conchoidal - Resembling the curve of a conch shell and used to describe a smoothly curved surface on a rock or mineral; characteristic of quartz and obsidian.

Devitrification - Conversion of glass to crystalline material.

Dune - A low mound or ridge of sediment, usually sand, deposited by the wind.

Ephemeral lake - A short-lived lake.

Estuary - The seaward end or tidal mouth of a river where freshwater and seawater mix.

Euhedral - A grain bounded by perfect crystal faces; well-formed.

Fenestral - Having openings or transparent areas in a rock.

Fluvial - Of or pertaining to a river or rivers.

Friable - Describes a rock or mineral that is easily crumbled.

Granoblastic - Describes the texture of a metamorphic rock in which recrystallization formed crystals of nearly the same size in all directions.

Hermatypic - Describes a type of reef-building coral that is incapable of adjusting to conditions lacking sunlight.

Hot spring - A thermal spring whose temperature is above that of the human body.

Isthmus - A narrow strip or neck of land, bordered on both sides by water, connecting two larger land areas.

Lacustrine - Describes a process, feature, or organism pertaining to, produced by, or inhabiting a lake.

Lithify - To change to stone, or to petrify; especially to consolidate from a loose sediment to solid rock.

Lunar tide - The part of the tide caused solely by the tide-producing force of the Moon.

Source ⚜ More: Word Lists

[sepdet]

Happy Moon Day! July 20, 1969.

Oil painting by astronaut Alan Bean, the fourth man to set foot on the Moon.

If you look closely, there is a portrait of Neil Armstrong taking the picture reflected in Aldrin's faceplate, and what appears to be a mistake, another astronaut standing between a tall silvery rectangle (a solar wind experiment) and the lander's leg. I always assumed this was a self-portrait, but it's probably more than that. Bean remarked of this painting's companion piece, "First Man," a portrait of what Armstrong must have looked like while taking this photo:

“I guess every astronaut wanted to be the first man on the Moon. I know I did,” says Alan Bean. “And if we couldn't be the first, we at least wanted to be one of the first. Apollo 11’s crew got the opportunity to make the first attempt. Neil, Buzz and Mike flew a perfect flight and went into the history books; but all 400,000 Americans that helped make Apollo a success are in that history, too.”

Bean often used copies of his lunar equipment to pre-texture the surface of his paintings. This one has boot footprints, gouges from his geology hammer, and circular punches from a handheld core sampler.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New evidence exists for hidden water reservoirs and rare magmas on ancient Mars

A new study explores how variations in Mars’ crustal thickness during its ancient history may have influenced the planet’s magmatic evolution and hydrological systems. The research, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, suggests that the thick crust of Mars’ southern highlands formed billions of years ago generated granitic magmas and sustained vast underground aquifers, challenging long-held assumptions about the red planet’s geological and hydrological past.

The study, led by Rice University’s Cin-Ty Lee, demonstrates that the southern highlands’ thick crust — up to 80 kilometers in some areas — was hot enough during the Noachian and early Hesperian periods (3-4 billion years ago) to undergo partial melting in the lower crust. This process, driven by radioactive heating, could have produced significant amounts of silicic magmas such as granites and supported subsurface aquifers beneath a frozen surface layer.

“Our findings indicate that Mars’ crustal processes were far more dynamic than previously thought,” said Lee, the Harry Carothers Wiess Professor of Geology and professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences. “Not only could thick crust in the southern highlands have generated granitic magmas without plate tectonics, but it also created the thermal conditions for stable groundwater aquifers — reservoirs of liquid water — on a planet we’ve often considered dry and frozen.”

The research team — including Rice professors Rajdeep Dasgupta and Kirsten Siebach, postdoctoral research associate Duncan Keller, graduate students Jackson Borchardt and Julin Zhang and Patrick McGovern of the Lunar and Planetary Institute — employed advanced thermal modeling to reconstruct the thermal state of Mars’ crust during the Noachian and early Hesperian periods. By considering factors such as crustal thickness, radioactive heat generation and mantle heat flow, the researchers simulated how heat affected the potential for crustal melting and groundwater stability.

Their models revealed that regions with crustal thicknesses exceeding 50 kilometers would have experienced widespread partial melting, producing felsic magmas either directly through dehydration melting or indirectly via fractional crystallization of intermediate magmas. Moreover, due to the elevated heat flow, the southern highlands’ thick crust would have sustained significant groundwater aquifers extending several kilometers below the surface.

The study challenges the notion that granites are unique to Earth, demonstrating that Mars could also produce granitic magmas through radiogenic heating even without plate tectonics. These granites likely remain hidden beneath basaltic flows in the southern highlands, offering new insights into Martian geology. Additionally, the research highlights the possible formation of ancient groundwater systems in Mars’ southern highlands, where high surface heat flux reduced the extent of permafrost and created stable subsurface aquifers. These reservoirs of water might have been periodically accessed by volcanic activity or impacts, resulting in episodic flooding events on the planet’s surface.

The findings have significant implications for habitability as the presence of liquid water and the ability to generate granitic magmas, which often contain elements critical for life, suggest that Mars’ southern highlands may have been more hospitable for life in the past than previously thought.

“Granites aren’t just rocks; they’re geological archives that tell us about a planet’s thermal and chemical evolution,” said Dasgupta, the Maurice Ewing Professor of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences. “On Earth, granites are tied to tectonics and water recycling. The fact that we see evidence for similar magmas on Mars through deep crustal remelting underscores the planet’s complexity and its potential for hosting life in the past.”

The study highlights regions on Mars where future missions could focus on detecting granitic rocks or exploring ancient water reservoirs. Large craters and fractures in the southern highlands, for example, may provide glimpses into the planet’s deep crust.

“Every insight into Mars’ crustal processes brings us closer to answering some of the most profound questions in planetary science, including how Mars evolved and how it may have supported life,” Siebach said. “Our research provides a roadmap for where to look and what to look for as we search for these answers.”