New research highlights scale of moon's canyons

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New research highlights scale of moon's canyons

SAM MCLAUGHLIN Sun Staff Reporter
Feb 18, 2025
Feb 18, 2025

Lunar Canyons — This illustration depicts the Vallis Schrödinger (left) and Vallis Planck (right) canyons on the lunar surface.
NASA\SVS\Ernie T. Wright, courtesy

Looking up at the moon in the night sky, it’s difficult to grasp just how dramatic the topography of its surface really is. But for David Kring, the reality of that terrain isn’t too hard to imagine.

Kring is the principal scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston and divides his time between Houston and Flagstaff, where he also serves on the board of trustees for the Museum of Northern Arizona. His focuses on two immense lunar canyons known as Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck, and draws upon his lifelong experiences with northern Arizona’s most famous natural feature to convey the scale of these far-away chasms.

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Astronauts Above Lunar Canyon — This artist's depiction is of two astronauts walking on the rim of one of the large canyons outside the Schrödinger impact basin.
LPI\Michael Carroll, courtesy

Schrodinger Impact — This artist's illustration is of the impact that formed the Schrödinger Crater on the surface of the moon, circa 3.8 billion years ago.
LPI\Daniel D. Durda, courtesy

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