China's Yutu 2 rover spots cube-shaped 'mystery hut' on far side of the moon

So the moon has been full of surprises over the years! Here is another as China finds a “Cube on the moon!” Now they said It’s likely a large boulder excavated by an ancient lunar impact. China’s Yutu 2 rover spotted the mystery object on the horizon while working its way across Von Kármán crater on the far side of the moon. The Yutu 2 spotted a cube-shaped object on the horizon to the north and roughly 260 feet (80 meters) away in November during the mission’s 36th lunar day, according to a Yutu 2 diary published by Our Space, a Chinese language science outreach channel affiliated with the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

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 “神秘小屋” (“mystery house”), the next 2-3 lunar days will be spent getting closer to check it out. pic.twitter.com/LWPZoWN05I

— Andrew Jones (@AJ_FI) December 3, 2021

Our Space referred to the object as a “mystery hut” (神秘小屋/shenmi xiaowu), but this a placeholder name rather than an accurate description. Team scientists have expressed a strong interest in the object and Yutu 2 is now expected to spend the next 2-3 lunar days (2-3 Earth months) traversing lunar regolith and avoiding craters to get a closer look, so updates can be expected.

A likely explanation for the shape would be a large boulder which has been excavated by an impact event. The solar-powered Yutu 2 and Chang’e 4 lander made the first ever landing on the far side of the moon on Jan. 3, 2019, and the rover has been rolling through the 115-mile-wide (186 kilometers) Von Kármán crater ever since.

Chang’e 4, like its name suggests, is China’s fourth moon mission and second to deliver a rover on the moon. The Chang’e 1 and 2 missions were orbiters, with Chang’e 3 landing on the near side of the moon with the first Yutu rover. China has also launched the Chang’e 5 T1 test mission around the moon and the Chang’e 5 moon sample return mission.

We think it might be more serious then they think! We think the moon is now gangster territory!

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Today we mourn the passing of Sen. John Glenn... The Last American Hero!

Sen. John Glenn, the iconic astronaut lauded as the last American hero, has died. He was 95. Ohio State University officials announced Glenn’s death on December 8. He was being treated for a variety of ailments at James Cancer Hospital, where he was hospitalized since last week.

We are saddened by the loss of Sen. John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. A true American hero. Godspeed, John Glenn. Ad astra. pic.twitter.com/89idi9r1NB

— NASA (@NASA) December 8, 2016

When he entered the hospital, officials did not reveal his exact illness, but they said people shouldn’t assume he had cancer because of the hospital’s name. Glenn died with his two children, John and Carolyn, and wife of 73 years at his side, said BBC.

He suffered a stroke two years ago and had heart valve replacement surgery. The Columbus Dispatch said Glenn’s health started to go downhill in 2013 when he had a pacemaker installed and experienced episodes of vertigo. He also had knee replacement surgery, the newspaper said. The Associated Press said Glenn’s eyesight was also failing this year, something he apologized for at a ceremony where an airport was renamed for him.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich announced Glenn’s death on Twitter.

pic.twitter.com/XRN1DDMVqO

— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) December 8, 2016

According to the Columbus Dispatch, “Glenn’s body will lie in state at the Ohio Statehouse for a day, and a public memorial service will be held at Ohio State University’s Mershon Auditorium. He will be buried near Washington, D.C., at Arlington National Cemetery in a private service.”

Glenn was the first man to orbit the earth and later a U.S senator. According to NPR, Glenn was “the last surviving member of the original Mercury astronauts.” Glenn was also a World War II combat veteran, and the U.S. Marines posted a tweet mourning his loss.

The Corps lost a legend today.

Col. John Glenn— an astronaut, a senator, a Marine— died at the age of 95.

Semper Fi, Sir. pic.twitter.com/xUShqC9JaZ

— U.S. Marines (@USMC) December 8, 2016

Annie Glenn his wife, and now widow is still alive and is 96-years-old. Theirs was considered a great love story. Rest in Peace.