Eli5: gravity anomalies on the moon.
In: 17
The moon is not a perfectly symmetrical sphere of mass, it’s lumpy inside, with some parts heavier/denser than others, likely due to higher concentrations of metals in those areas. If you’re above a dense part, gravity is a little stronger than elsewhere. These are the so-called gravitational anomalies.
Also, for the record, we have gravitational anomalies on Earth, too; you weigh about 0.5% more in Helsinki than in Kuala Lampur.
Here on Earth, the ocean’s tides cause gravity fluctuations for specific points along shore. Tides themselves are caused by the moon’s mass, as it wobbles nearer & further from our ocean’s surfsce. Wherever mass builds, compared to less dense space around it, the local gravity increases. China’s Three Gorges Dam used enough concrete & collected enough water to measurably cause such anomalies far more proximate than our moon! Fun thoughts.
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