Moon’s Mons Mouton
Context: A study by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre has identified a safe landing patch near the Moon’s Mons Mouton for Chandrayaan-4, India’s first lunar sample return mission.
About Moon’s Mons Mouton:
What it is?
- Mons Mouton is a large flat-topped lunar mountain massif near the Moon’s south pole, officially named by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Location:
- Situated in the south polar region of the Moon.
- Lies close to the rim of the South Pole–Aitken (SPA) Basin, one of the largest and oldest impact basins in the Solar System.
- Around 160 km from the lunar south pole.
Origin:
- Believed to have formed as part of the rim uplift of the South Pole–Aitken basin following ancient massive asteroid impacts.
- Represents exposed deep lunar crust, making it scientifically valuable.
Key Features:
- Spans nearly 100 km in width.
- Rises about 6,000 metres above surrounding terrain.
- Characterised by rugged topography, steep elevation gradients, craters and boulder fields.
- Experiences unique illumination conditions, with areas receiving near-continuous sunlight and others in permanent shadow.
- Visible during favourable libration even through amateur telescopes.
Significance:
- Chandrayaan-4: Identified as a promising region for India’s first lunar sample return landing, with manageable slopes, low boulder density and adequate sunlight.
- Lunar science: Provides insights into the early Moon’s formation and impact history.
- Future missions: Falls within regions of interest for NASA’s Artemis programme and other international missions.
- Resource potential: Proximity to permanently shadowed regions raises prospects for studying lunar volatiles (water ice).