Researchers confirm caves on the moon, could be used by astronauts

Researchers have confirmed the long-theorized existence of caves on the moon , which could provide astronauts with shelter, according to a report.

The research, published in Nature Astronomy, confirms the existence of a cave system in the Sea of Tranquility, the spot where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, according to the Associated Press .

The researchers studied data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and compared the results to the Earth's lava tube system, finding a similar system on the moon.

Collapsing and decaying lava tubes are the source of many caves throughout the Earth, and the existence of such tubes would provide sufficient underground space for a similar lunar cave system.

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“Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove [their] existence,” Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento wrote in an email, according to the report.

The report further suggests there could be caves on the moon's southern pole, where it's also theorized shadowed craters hold frozen water. The combination of water and shelter would provide astronauts with sufficient means to survive on the moon on a long-term basis, the report suggests.