Is the moon catching rust?
1/5
Hematite on the moon
Researchers are concerned that our moon is rusting; data from the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter suggests that there was haematite-like material present on the lunar surface, which is surprising considering there is no water on the moon to form the iron oxide.
2/5
Where’s the water?
NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper - which was carried on the Chandrayaan-1 - found water ice on the moon in 2008 and mapped a whole load of data, which was subsequently studied by a team in the University of Hawaii. They found that the moon’s poles had varied compositions, including hematite.
3/5
Iron oxide
Hematite is a form of iron oxide, or rust, produced when iron is exposed to oxygen and water. The bigger question for researchers, however, is how the oxide was formed in the presence of large amounts of hydrogen - which makes rusting extremely difficult because it’s a reducer.
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4/5
We’re causing it
The running theory is that oxygen from the Earth - travelling via the magnetic field between the two celestial bodies - is causing the rusting; this theory has been reinforced by more hematite present on the Earth facing side of the moon.
5/5
Multiple conditions
In addition to the Earth oxygen, the moon has to be shielded from solar winds - that carry hydrogen - to form the hematite, however, there are still many questions left unanswered, with hematite also forming on the far side of the moon, where there isn’t Earth oxygen in reach.