Tycho Falls

A flood of magma flowed down the southeast flank of Tycho crater, temporarily ponding in a depression, filling that depression, and then over-flowing down a steep cliff before finally ponding and stopping in another depression 650 m lower. This magma was not from the Moon’s mantle, but rather more than 10 cubic km of impact melt that was splashed out of the forming crater over the rim, it then flowed more than 20 km before reaching the overflow point and forming an impact-melt-fall. A scenario that boggles the mind!

• Latitude: -44.224°
• Longitude: 350.954°
• Camera: NAC
• Image Width: 25.0 km
• Image(s): M1103603575LR
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