ELEMENTAL, MY DEAR WATSON

This false-colour image of the Moon’s surface composition is a mosaic of 53 frames taken through spectral filters as the probe Galileo flew over the Moon on in December 1992. Pinkish areas indicate highlands materials, mainly igneous rocks, such as those around the Crisium impact basin near bottom centre. Blue to orange shades mark volcanic lava flows. To Crisium’s left, dark blue Mare Tranquillitatis – Apollo 11’s landing site – is richer in titanium than light blue areas, which point to thin, mineral-rich soils associated with recent impacts.