This is why there's a 'man in the moon'

Research explains why we interpret a human face in the moon

Research explains why we interpret a human face in the moon

This is why there's a 'man in the moon'

Research explains why we interpret a human face in the moon

When you look up at a bright full moon on a clear night, you may wonder at the appearance of a human face on the moon’s surface.This illusion is often referred to as the "man in the moon" and is defined by the light and dark parts of the lunar façade. In some ancient myths, the face is that of a man who was banished to the moon for committing a crime.But what is the science behind the moon seemingly conveying the appearance of a human face? According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, it’s due to 40-mile-long lunar swirls created by magnetic lava flows beneath the moon’s surface. These swirls cause patterns and shapes to materialize on the rocky satellite. “Lunar swirls are collections of finely structured, bright and dark surface markings, alternating over length scales of typically 1–5 km,” the study states. “Swirls are thought to form where local magnetic fields shield parts of the lunar surface from exposure to the solar wind or where those magnetic fields lead to sorting of some of the finest lunar soils.” These swirls are not a new discovery as NASA has been aware of them for decades and recorded the Reiner Gamma swirl with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. But this is the first time conclusions have been drawn about what causes them. The research, conducted by scientists at Rutgers University and the University of California, Berkeley, mapped the lunar swirls with the use of computer models. Narrow magnetic zones are where these swirls were found to occur and are linked to ancient underground tunnels called lava tubes. These extremely magnetic areas are connected to the strong volcanic activity of the moon's past and deflect particles within solar winds, resulting in certain areas of the moon staying dark. “These magnetized rocks were likely injected into the crust in the form of dikes or subsurface channels of flowing lava and that they cooled slowly, leading to enhancement of their metal content and enabling the rocks to capture a stable record of the Moon's ancient global magnetic field,” the study authors wrote. The lunar swirls creating contrasting light and dark areas of the moon may now explain the reason we interpret a human face in the moon.Check out some amazing photos of Earth taken from the moon and other planets in the related video above

When you look up at a bright full on a clear night, you may wonder at the appearance of a human face on the moon’s surface.

This illusion is often referred to as the "man in the moon" and is defined by the light and dark parts of the lunar façade. In some ancient myths, the face is that of a man who was banished to the for committing a crime.

But what is the science behind the moon seemingly conveying the appearance of a human face?

According to a 2018 study published in the , it’s due to 40-mile-long lunar swirls created by magnetic lava flows beneath the moon’s surface. These swirls cause patterns and shapes to materialize on the rocky satellite.

Roll up, roll up! Place your bets! This is the Reiner Gamma lunar swirl, seen decorating the moon's surface, an image taken with . These lunar swirls may result from ancient, magnetic lava just below the moon's surface, according to one new study. What do you think?
— The Rogue Astronaut (@therogue_astro)

“Lunar swirls are collections of finely structured, bright and dark surface markings, alternating over length scales of typically 1–5 km,” the study states. “Swirls are thought to form where local magnetic fields shield parts of the lunar surface from exposure to the solar wind or where those magnetic fields lead to sorting of some of the finest lunar soils.”

These swirls are not a new discovery as NASA has been aware of them for decades and recorded the Reiner Gamma swirl with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. But this is the first time conclusions have been drawn about what causes them.

The research, conducted by scientists at Rutgers University and the , mapped the lunar swirls with the use of computer models.

Narrow magnetic zones are where these swirls were found to occur and are linked to ancient underground tunnels called lava tubes. These extremely magnetic areas are connected to the strong volcanic activity of the moon's past and deflect particles within solar winds, resulting in certain areas of the moon staying dark.

ICYMI: Enigmatic ‘lunar swirls’ linked to moon’s volcanic past:
— UC Berkeley (@UCBerkeley)

“These magnetized rocks were likely injected into the crust in the form of dikes or subsurface channels of flowing lava and that they cooled slowly, leading to enhancement of their metal content and enabling the rocks to capture a stable record of the Moon's ancient global magnetic field,” the study authors wrote.

The lunar swirls creating contrasting light and dark areas of the moon may now explain the reason we interpret a human face in the moon.

Check out some amazing photos of Earth taken from the moon and other planets in the related video above

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