Last November, the news that the Yutu-2 lunar rover had "discovered a mysterious cabin on the far side of the moon" caused astronomy enthusiasts around the world to watch. Although only a vague shadow can be seen in the photos taken by Yutu-2, this does not stop the netizens from opening their minds, and they have speculated that it is "Guanghan Palace", "Triumphal Arch" or simply "alien base". Recently, the latest photo released by Yutu Ii finally unveiled the mystery: it turned out to be just a stone with a special shape.
The New York Times said on January 7 that a "distant cube" could be seen on the lunar surface photos taken by Yutu-2 last November. What makes the outside world curious is that the shape of the object looks too regular, "it seems that it cannot be just a naturally formed rock". This has aroused widespread curiosity from the outside world, speculating that it is a "mysterious hut" or an alien creation. Due to the slow travel speed of Yutu-2, it took several weeks to get closer. The latest photos released by the Chinese aerospace department show that there are no aliens and no secret bases here, and the so-called "mysterious hut" turned out to be just a stone, seemingly perfect geometric shape, but a trick of angle, light and shadow.
Similar optical illusions have been common in the history of space exploration. NASA's Opportunity rover discovered a "thing that looks like a rabbit's ear" on Mars in 2004, but the final investigation found that it was nothing more than an insulating material that fell from the probe.
The Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center's "Yutu-2 Pilot Diary" records the surprising discovery in more detail. "On December 27, Yutu-2 woke up and ushered in the work of the 38th month, and the goal was still to continue to go north... With only about 10 meters left from the 'Mystery Hut', it is finally possible to unveil its mystery, and the driver immediately arranges a panoramic camera for color imaging! The 'mysterious hut', which is as tall as a triumphal arch when far away in the sky, is very small when it looks close, and the drivers can't help but be a little disappointed. Just as everyone was lost, one driver stared at the enlarged picture, covered his mouth and exclaimed: 'Oh my God! This is...... Moon! A lifelike rabbit comes into view, the scattered stones in front of the 'Jade Rabbit' are like a carrot, and the round stone beads behind the 'Jade Rabbit' are like the products of the 'Jade Rabbit' after dinner. The scene in front of you is just like a rabbit about to eat, and the picture is very interesting and makes people can't help but be funny. At present, the cumulative mileage of Yutu-2 on the moon has reached 1003.9 meters. When the next dormant awakening, Jade Rabbit II will also explore the "mysterious hut" at close range and perceive the large impact crater behind it.
Source: People's Daily