As the researchers note in their study, the Moon appeared much earlier than currently assumed: the age of the satellite is not 4.4 billion years, but 4.51 billion years. These data were obtained as a result of studies carried out by scientists on the age and structure of a satellite. Lunar rocks contain many zircon crystals.
Planetologists call zircons microcrystals of refractory rocks that appear in the thickness of lava after “floating” to the surface. The latest research began when scientists examining zircons in lunar rock samples taken from Apollo 17 discovered that some crystals were unexpectedly older than other samples. The age of the discovered crystals is 4.46 billion years, while other crystals appeared no later than 4.35 billion years ago.
“Our calculations show that the frequent occurrence of 4.35-billion-year-old samples of zircon crystals in lunar rocks is an indication of almost complete melting of the early Moon’s interior as a result of gravitational interactions with the Earth and the Sun. This occurred only about 4.5 billion years ago.” It can be explained by its emergence as early as possible,” planetary scientists said.
Source: Ferra
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