Join planetary scientist, Gareth Morgan, as he discusses the missions that collected the Apollo lunar soil samples and explores the geological significance of their composition. The minerals that the soils are comprised of can tell us important information about the early history of the Moon and volcanism.
The Ask An Expert lecture series at the National Mall building is presented every Wednesday at noon. A Museum staff member talks to the public about the history, collection, or personalities related to a specific artifact or exhibition in the Museum.
This lunar sample was cut from a rock collected on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. Found near the landing site in the Valley of Taurus-Littrow, it is an iron-rich, fine-textured volcanic rock called basalt. It is nearly 4 billion years old.