China's lunar rover Yutu 2 spots 'mysterious hut' on Moon; scientists investigate object

Chinese lunar rover Yutu 2 has spotted a mysterious object on the Moon while examining the far side of Earth's natural satellite. The rover is part of China’s Chang'e-4 mission and has been exploring the Von Kármán crater on the far side of the Moon since it landed on the lunar surface in January 2019. According to a report by Space.com, the rover, which was on its 36th day of the mission, spotted the mystery object some 80 metres away from it. 

Investigation about mysterious object begins…

The new mysterious object was publicised through an image beamed back by the rover, which was shared by Our Space, a science-oriented Chinese channel affiliated with the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Our Space has labelled the object as a “mystery hut”, however, the true identity of the same remains to be determined.

The team controlling the rover reportedly has its full interest in the object and is planning to investigate it via Yutu 2 for the next 2-3 lunar days or 2-3 Earth months. Currently, at the Von Kármán site, the rover will dodge the craters to reach the outcrop and examine it to find answers.

Meanwhile, theories have already started emerging as one says that the object is a result of an impact event that excavated a large boulder. Interestingly, similar peculiar stuff has been uncovered on the Moon as the rover discovered a gel-like substance back in 2019, which actually was a mix of lunar rock and glass that resulted from an impact, reported Science Alert.

China’s Chang’e-4 mission

China had launched the Chang’e-4 mission in 2019 and the rover Yutu 2 landed on the lunar surface on January 3 inside the Chang’e-4 lander. The Yutu rover is a solar-powered machine that is scanning the Von Kármán crater which is a massive 186 kilometres wide.

The Chang’e-4 mission delivered the second rover and is China’s fourth overall quest to the Moon. Previously, China has launched Chang'e-1 and 2 missions with orbiters in both whereas the Chang’e-3 mission took the first Chinese rover, which was Yutu 1 to the Moon.

(Image: @AJ_FI/Twitter)