Yutu‑2’s Surprise Discovery: The Moon’s New Cubed Mystery
What the Rover Saw
On the far side of the moon, the moon‑moon‑party rover Yutu‑2 snapped a photo of a…well, a cube‑like shape that’s making lunar people all kinds of guesses. According to the Chinese science portal Our Space, the rover logged the shot on December 3, and the object sits about 80 metres away from its current spot.
Internet Memes Take the Stage
- Space junk? – One netizen cheekily said it’s “space junk left behind by the US.”
- Covid‑19 test site? – Another joked that if you got closer you’d see a “nucleic acid test site for COVID‑19.”
- Alien HQ? – One meme screamed, “It’s the home of aliens!” This one had the classic ‘mock horror’ vibe.
- Just a boulder? – A more down‑to‑earth guess: maybe it’s simply a stone.
How the Rover Moves
Yutu‑2, the solar‑powered “Jade Rabbit,” takes about two to three lunar days—roughly two to three Earth months—to traverse the 80‑metre distance. The rover has been exploring the Von Kármán Crater in the South Pole‑Aitken Basin since its launch in January 2019.
The Mission that Made History
It’s the first time a nation has landed robotic equipment on the moon’s far side. Since our planet’s rotation keeps the moon’s “dark side” hidden from view, this little steal‑of‑the‑scene is pretty remarkable.
Why a Cube on the Moon?
Whether it’s a relic of Earth’s satellites, a quirky test station, a micro‑alien outpost, or just a rock, it’s sure to draw the same curiosity from one side of the world to the other. The moon’s still full of surprises—Yutu‑2’s tiny discovery proves it!
