Newly Found Moon Hole Possibly Leads to Cave

Lava tubes — large sinuous cave systems formed by fast flowing molten lava — have long been suspected to exist on the moon just as they do here on Earth. Any sort of cave-like structure or opening has remained elusive however, until perhaps just this week.

An international team of astronomers working in Germany in collaboration with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency have announced the finding of a hole in the surface of the moon. The diameter of the hole, according to New Scientist who reports of the discovery, is a bit more than 200 feet across, and according to sunlight and shadow angle analysis, the hole opens into a hollow that appears to extend at least 250 feet down below ground surface.

The team can not yet be certain if the hollow space is one that was formed by a lava tube or not, nor are they certain how expansive the possible cave system may be.

The finding, however, is significant, in that some manner of underground lunar space has long been thought to be a necessary component of any possible future colonization. Owing to the moon’s lack of atmosphere, a subsurface environment has long been deemed necessary to provide protection from ultraviolet radiation as well as from the wide temperature swings known to take place on the moon.

Photo courtesy of NASA, via Wikimedia Commons