Scientists Discover Underground Cave On Moon, A Potential Base For Explorers

Researchers have discovered evidence of a significant underground cave on the moon that is accessible from the surface, making it an ideal location for a future lunar base.

The cave seems to be reachable from an open pit in the Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility), the ancient lava plain where Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first set foot on the moon over half a century ago.

Radar data indicates the cave is at least 130 feet (40 meters) wide and tens of yards (meters) long, possibly more.

Lunar orbiters first identified pits on the moon more than a decade ago. Many of these pits are believed to be "skylights" that connect to underground caves such as lava tubes, which are large tunnels formed by volcanic activity.

These caves could serve as the foundation for a moonbase or emergency lunar shelter because they maintain a relatively stable temperature and provide natural protection from harmful cosmic rays, solar radiation, and micrometeorites.