The dark areas on the Moon are basaltic plains formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.
The dark areas on the Moon, known as lunar maria, are extensive basaltic plains created by ancient volcanic activity.
The claim is a well-established scientific fact confirmed by multiple lunar sample return missions and geological analyses, showing that the dark lunar plains (maria) are composed of basalt formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.
Li C, Hu H, Yang MF, Pei ZY, Zhou Q, Ren X, Liu B, Liu D, Zeng X, Zhang G, Zhang H, Liu J, Wang Q, Deng X, Xiao C, Yao Y, Xue D, Zuo W, Su Y, Wen W, Ouyang Z. Characteristics of the lunar samples returned by the Chang'E-5 mission.. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwab188
Chang'E-5 lunar samples from mare regions confirm that the dark plains consist largely of basaltic fragments.
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Zhang QWL, Yang MH, Li QL, Liu Y, Yue ZY, Zhou Q, Chen LY, Ma HX, Yang SH, Tang X, Zhang GL, Ren X, Li XH. Lunar farside volcanism 2.8 billion years ago from Chang'e-6 basalts.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08382-0
Analyses of Chang'e-6 basalts provide chronological and compositional evidence of extensive basaltic volcanism across the lunar surface.
J. J. Papike, A. E. Bence. Lunar Mare versus terrestrial mid‐ocean ridge basalts: Planetary constraints on basaltic volcanism. 1978. https://doi.org/10.1029/gl005i009p00803
Comparisons between lunar mare basalts and terrestrial equivalents demonstrate that the dark lunar areas are composed of volcanic mare basalts.
Su B, Yuan J, Chen Y, Yang W, Mitchell RN, Hui H, Wang H, Tian H, Li XH, Wu FY. Fusible mantle cumulates trigger young mare volcanism on the cooling Moon.. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn2103
Simulations and sample analyses confirm that late lunar volcanism formed the basaltic plains found in the dark mare regions.
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