INTERNATIONAL LUNAR EXPLORATION PHASE
- with low-cost transport, where would international astronauts go? -



VISITING THE MAGNETIC ANAMOLIES

There are some pretty dramatic patterns on the lunar surface caused by magnetism. It is believed that magnetized rocks create magnetic field lines. Charged particles from the sun get channeled down these lines to preferentially impact certain strips of lunar dirt and not the strips next to them.

Descartes: A curious, cotton wool looking pattern on the surface of the Moon. A recent theory is that these magnetic rocks were caused by ferromagnetic lava becoming a large magnet as they cooled within the Moon's early magnetic field. The blue circle is a lighter area caused by the magnetic fields there.


Mare Marginalis: On the far eastern side of the Moon is this strange pattern of whitish swirls caused by the unlerlying magnetism.


Ingenii: These anomalies sort of look like an aurora that's been imprinted on the lunar surface.


Reiner Gamma: By far the most prominent of the magnetic anomalies. The Lunar Grand Tour could start with a suborbital hop from the lunar south pole to this magnetic anomaly. So the visitors would get the opportunity to see the magnetic patter from high above it.

Next: Rilles