The Yutu-2 image of the ‘mysterious hut’. (CNSA/CLEP/Our Space) |
The mysterious Chinese “moon cube” is no longer a mystery. The big reveal: it’s a rock that doesn’t even have the shape of a cube. National rover Yutu2 discovered the object – which appeared to be a gray cube looming above the lunar horizon – in early December. China’s National Space Administration (CNSA) dubbed it the “mystery hut,” playfully speculating that the cube could be an alien house or a spaceship.
The news called it the “moon cube”.
After several weeks of preparation and driving, the rover is close enough to see that the “mystery hut” is just a rock. Its sharp geometric aspect on the horizon was a simple turn of perspective, light and shadow.