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# A stretch of volcanic mountains on the Moon
- URL: https://jatan.space/volcanic-rock-land-of-montes-carpatus/
- Published: 2018-12-24T16:45:24.000Z
- Updated: 2024-02-21T09:16:03.000Z
- Description: The 361 kilometers wide arc of Montes Carpatus.
- Author: Jatan Mehta

Seen here is part of the volcanic mountain range Montes Carpatus, the full range stretching 361 kilometers across the Moon.

![](https://jatan.space/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f9f9814d9-dd0b-478c-aebd-d2eef3a9df30_951x714-jpeg-1.jpg)

Mountains in the Montes Carpatus range, imaged by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. [Credit: NASA](http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/posts/1002)

Montes Carpatus forms the southern border of the [Mare Imbrium,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare%5FImbrium) with the eastern border being the prominent [Montes Apenninus](https://jatan.space/the-mountain-range-montes-apenninus/). Montes Carpatus formed about 3.8 to 3.9 billion years ago when the basin of Mare Imbrium was excavated by a large asteroid-sized impact. The impact uplifted nearby crustal material to form the arc-shaped mountain range.

![](https://jatan.space/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f2ec7130b-f90b-493b-90d1-b1b3082bf7a1_1250x937-jpeg.jpg)

The 361 kilometers wide mountain range of Montes Carpatus, imaged by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Seen below it is the famous Copernicus crater. [Credit: NASA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Montes%5FCarpatus%5F%28LRO%29.png)

The dark, low albedo material seen littered across the landscape is proof of volcanic activity. These volcanic rocks formed when lava that originated from the melted mantle erupted about 3 billion years ago.

Volcanic landscapes like Montes Carpatus are a direct entry point into the Moon's internal structure. Such exposed internal lunar material on the surface are viable to study with future lunar landers.

[KNOW MORE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montes%5FCarpatus)

[![](https://jatan.space/content/images/2024/02/https-3a-2f-2fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic-2fimages-2f59748a7b-4d88-4a90-8c01-bcdfe633ac7a_1098x770-jpeg.jpg)](https://quickmap.lroc.asu.edu/?layers=NrBsFYBoAZIRnpEoAsjZwLpNKG%2BscB2fDbMADlPnNAE5rDgjZWakiE2mAmOuqt3J9%2BjTOKQ9QPRkmBSuiJgGZoPQUuEVVBGhOBw4UbnMNohSQyQvBV0RWSTK4asZIqc3BnTbjOvfsoByni%2BytYE5H4MNurKMrEeCZGWKGyO8hT0YvrxyRhy8Q565KrKMaQAdFAgqmk5pdDK5lU1tk3GkblNQSa1ahWs1Y0%2BrSPF0MNOTfkww7nSsrWgE5U84KWgvWNOqNSTG7udQxvdyhonhU2hO%2B3h%2B-OlRC0FtUTbQ0aNPC9zX9PrB7-dpSIGHEERT6nJ43V62IjHdjwi5I8KDVEUdIY4oqCizXEfDG-LD6NJYhC1UQ2VQ8QkqNT48SbSGIZaw1GgFG8DzkzbolQsLzhHFPRmkn5LYAoWkPZTkaWIyZypDS9mTOhMlXgOlyFDgRlaxWPaZwflXaDs%2BnQYmNJpC6AOrz63nuLZedQQd1ZG2uy1aTkNJDgIy6CnAYM%2B8NwFlMYNc8jB-kJnirIjJmQOKaZUAx20G9rQREk8RAA&extent=-33.57504840001377%2C7.97190514275625%2C-11.628265122728008%2C18.953541252953332&proj=16)

[EXPLORE ON A MAP](https://quickmap.lroc.asu.edu/?layers=NrBsFYBoAZIRnpEoAsjZwLpNKG%2BscB2fDbMADlPnNAE5rDgjZWakiE2mAmOuqt3J9%2BjTOKQ9QPRkmBSuiJgGZoPQUuEVVBGhOBw4UbnMNohSQyQvBV0RWSTK4asZIqc3BnTbjOvfsoByni%2BytYE5H4MNurKMrEeCZGWKGyO8hT0YvrxyRhy8Q565KrKMaQAdFAgqmk5pdDK5lU1tk3GkblNQSa1ahWs1Y0%2BrSPF0MNOTfkww7nSsrWgE5U84KWgvWNOqNSTG7udQxvdyhonhU2hO%2B3h%2B-OlRC0FtUTbQ0aNPC9zX9PrB7-dpSIGHEERT6nJ43V62IjHdjwi5I8KDVEUdIY4oqCizXEfDG-LD6NJYhC1UQ2VQ8QkqNT48SbSGIZaw1GgFG8DzkzbolQsLzhHFPRmkn5LYAoWkPZTkaWIyZypDS9mTOhMlXgOlyFDgRlaxWPaZwflXaDs%2BnQYmNJpC6AOrz63nuLZedQQd1ZG2uy1aTkNJDgIy6CnAYM%2B8NwFlMYNc8jB-kJnirIjJmQOKaZUAx20G9rQREk8RAA&extent=-33.57504840001377%2C7.97190514275625%2C-11.628265122728008%2C18.953541252953332&proj=16)