China Moon rover unveils true identity of 'mystery hut' on lunar surface: ‘It's brilliant'
China Moon rover unveils true identity of 'mystery hut' on lunar surface: ‘It's brilliant'
The Yutu-2 rover has been exploring the far side of the Moon since early 2019 as part of China's Chang'e-4 lunar lander mission. It recently spotted a mysterious cube-shaped object in the distance. After catching a glimpse of the baffling object, the rover team drove over to take a closer look. After burning speculation, it turned out that the "mystery house" was nothing more than a rock.
But it had sparked a wave of curiosity when it was first noticed.
Andrew Jones, a journalist who covers the Chinese space programme, wrote on Twitter: "Ah. We have an update from Yutu-2 on the lunar far side, including an image of a cubic shape on the northern horizon -80m away from the rover in Von Kármán crater.
"Referred to as "" ("mystery house"), the next 2-3 lunar days will be spent getting closer to check it out."
But even though a rock was all that was found, Mr Jones was not disheartened.
He described the conclusion to the saga as "so underwhelming it's brilliant".
He wrote again on Twitter: "Oh, this is amazing.
"Close to tears. Ourspace has published an update on the "mystery hut" and it's so underwhelming it's brilliant.
"It's just a small rock on a crater rim that they're now calling "jade rabbit" for its appearance."
The cube-shaped "hut" was a small lumpy rock sitting on a crater rim.
But it happened to look much bigger and more mysterious in the rover's original image.
It was only after getting closer and getting a better perspective that the rover was able to unveil the object's true form.
The rock's huddled shape has now led it to be dubbed "jade rabbit".
This is because it looks a bit like a bunny rabbit crouching down with a couple of carrots in front of it.
And as the Yutu-2 rover's name translates to Jade Rabbit, it is almost as if the rover has found its own mascot on the Moon.
Yutu-2 works on solar power, so it periodically hibernates until the Sun comes back out.
This is why it took a bit of time to move closer to the "mystery hut" for a better look.
The Yutu-2 rover mission is the first to explore the Moon's far side and it has been rolling along for three years since it first landed.
This part of the Moon is scattered with impact craters, which can feature hefty amounts of chunky debris.
It is now due to assess the area around the jade rabbit rock.
It is hoped that it should be able to get some even better images.
According to China Daily, Yutu-2 has already travelled 2,756 feet (840 meters) across the Moon.
Articles - Latest
- EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DISCOVERY AMELIA EARHART’S LONG-LOST PLANE
- Eleanor Coppola, ‘Hearts of Darkness’ director, dies at 87
- CARL ERSKINE, DODGERS LEGEND AND HUMAN RIGHTS ICON, DIES: 'THE BEST GUY I'VE EVER KNOWN'
- RESTLESS NATIVES AND STILL GAME ACTOR DIES AGED 64
- WATCH MOMENT EARTHQUAKE ROCKS UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING IN NEW YORK
- MOUNT VESUVIUS WARNING AS VOLCANO 'COULD ERUPT SOON' WITH HALF A MILLION IN 'DANGER ZONE'
- CLARENCE ‘FROGMAN’ HENRY, R’N’B SINGER AND PIANIST WHO TOURED WITH THE BEATLES – OBITUARY
- SECRET OCEANS COULD BE HIDING IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
- SACRED MYSTERIES: WHEN WILLIAM BYRD PUBLISHED WORKS PERFORMED IN SECRET Opinion by Christopher Howse: The Telegraph
- VIKING AGE WOMEN WITH CONE-SHAPED SKULLS LIKELY LEARNED HEAD-BINDING PRACTICE FROM FAR-FLUNG REGION
- ROBERTO CAVALLI DEAD: ITALIAN FASHION DESIGNER DIES AGED 83
- PHIL NIMMONS | REVERED CANADIAN JAZZ COMPOSER AND EDUCATOR DIES AGED 100, FAMILY CONFIRM
- K-POP SINGER PARK BO-RAM DIES AGED 30, INVESTIGATION INTO DEATH UNDERWAY
- WHY IS A VOLCANO IN ANTARCTICA SPEWING OUT GOLD DUST?
- COME DINE WITH ME ‘LEGEND’ INDY NIJJAR DIES AGED 50
- NEW ORLEANS R&B SINGER CLARENCE ‘FROGMAN’ HENRY DIES AGED 87
- ALBERT ‘TOOTIE’ HEATH OBITUARY
- AMERICAN-BORN FORMER SUMO CHAMPION AKEBONO DIES AGED 54
- WEIGHT LOSS INFLUENCER MILA DE JESUS DIES AGE 35
- CYNTHIA WEIL OBITUARY
- NORMAN BEDDINGTON OBITUARY
- OJ SIMPSON DIES AGED 76 SURROUNDED BY HIS FAMILY
- DJ MISTER CEE DEAD AT 57
Articles - Most Read
- Main
- Contact Us
- The science behind Ouija boards
- Cosmic Consciousness - What is Cosmic Consciousness-2
- Cosmic Consciousness-Introduction
- Cosmic Consciousness - Introduction-2
- MASSIVE 6.1 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HITS NEW ZEALAND AS NATION STILL REELING FROM CYCLONE
- ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNRAVEL THE TRUTH OF APHRODITE, GODDESS OF LOVE, ON VALENTINE'S DAY
- The Human Condition-Thomas Keating
- Cosmic Consciousness First Words - 1V - 2
- Cosmic Consciousness First Words - V -
- Cosmic Consciousness V - 2
- Cosmic consciousness - First Words - IV
- Cosmic Consciousness - What is Cosmic Consciousness?
- Evolution and Devolution-Chapter 2
- The Human Condition - Thomas keating-3
- The Human Condition-2-Thomas Keating
- Drinking From The Mountain Stream - Milarepa
- Cosmic Consciousness-On the Plane of Self Consciousness
- The Human Condition - 4
- Cosmic Consciousness - 3 - On the Plane of Self Consciousness
- Evolution and Devolution-Chapter 1
- The Human Condition - 6
- Shakyamuni Buddha or India the 1st “Black Revolutionary Hero.”
- On the Plane of Self Consciousness - 2
- Milarepa's World
- The Human Condition - 5
- Milarepa's World-2
- The Buddhist System of Liberation
- On the Plane of Self Consciousness IV
- Contemplation and the Divine Therapy - 2
- JERRY RAWLINGS, GHANAIAN STRONG MAN WHO CAME TO POWER IN A COUP BUT INTRODUCED DEMOCRACY – OBITUARY
- The Buddhist System of Liberation - 2
- On the Plane of Self Consciousness IV - 2