How an ancient asteroid strike carved out two Grand Canyons on the Moon

A view from orbit looking obliquely across the surface of the moon, where an ancient asteroid strike carved out a pair of Grand Canyons on the moon’s far side. Picture: Ernie T. Wright/Nasa/AP

New research shows that when an asteroid slammed into the Moon billions of years ago, it carved out a pair of Grand Canyons on the lunar far side.

That is good news for scientists and Nasa, which is looking to land astronauts at the south pole on the near, Earth-facing side, untouched by that impact and containing older rocks in original condition.