A recent post by the Canadian Space Agency on X (formerly Twitter) went viral after it shared a picture claiming it to be a 108-million-year-old Tycho crater on the surface of the Moon's southern hemisphere. However, netizens quickly reacted as the picture showed roads and buildings around the crater.
"Boom! An impact crater is formed when an object like an asteroid or meteorite crashes into the surface of a larger solid object like a planet, or a moon! Here is Tycho Crater, in the Moon's southern hemisphere, believed to be about 108 million years old," said the Canadian Space Agency. The picture was shared by the agency on August 19 and credited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Netizens were quick to point out the presence of roads and buildings around the crater and lambasted the Canadian Space Agency for the epic mistake. It soon turned out that the picture actually shows the Barringer Crater (Meteor Crater) in Arizona, United States.
"Sadly, the Canadian Space Agency has posted a picture of Meteor Crater, Arizona (complete with Visitor Center) instead. We all make mistakes and sometimes tweet silly things," tweeted a user on X.
Another user wrote, "There are roads right next to this crater. Does the Canadian Space agency think there are roads & visitor centers on the moon?"
About Arizona's Barringer Crater
The Barringer Crater in Arizona, also called Meteor Crater, is 50,000 years old on Earth and is unusually well preserved in the climate of the Colorado Plateau, according to NASA. It was formed after the impact of an iron-nickel asteroid about 46 metres across and most of the asteroid melted or vaporized on impact.
"The collision initially formed a crater over 1,200 meters (4,000) feet across and 210 meters (700 feet) deep. Subsequent erosion has partially filled the crater, which is now only 150 meters (550 feet) deep," said NASA.
What is the Tycho Crater?
The Tycho Crater is one of the most prominent craters on the surface of the Moon and appears as a bright spot in the southern highlands with rays of bright material streching across the surface visible from Earth. It is approximately 85 kilometres in diameter.
According to NASA, the Tycho Crater formed recently enough that its beautiful rays, material ejected during the impact event, are still visible as bright streaks.
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