India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has discovered a 160-km-wide ancient crater near its landing site on the moon. This discovery was made by the Pragyan rover, currently exploring the moon’s South Pole. Scientists believe this is one of the oldest structures on the moon, crucial for understanding its geological history.

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• Chandrayaan-3 found a 160-km-wide moon crater near landing site.
• Pragyan rover exploring South Pole made the discovery.
• Crater data published in Science Direct by Indian scientists.
• The site lies 350 km from Aitken basin, moon’s oldest known impact basin.
• Dust and rock from crater offer insights into moon’s early geology.
• New crater believed older than Aitken basin, buried under debris.
• High-res images from rover’s optical cameras reveal crater details.
• Site rich with material from ancient impacts, key for lunar studies.
• Scientists aim to learn more about moon’s early surface evolution.
• Discovery presents rare opportunity to study ancient lunar structures.