The Mysteries of the Moon's Highlands Revealed

What makes the highlands along the edge of a Mare on the Moon unique?

Is it because of their distinct origin that contrasts with Earth's mountain formations?

Answer:

Yes, the highlands along the edge of a Mare on the Moon have a distinct origin that contrasts with Earth's mountain formations.

The highlands on the Moon have a unique origin compared to the mountains on Earth. Unlike Earth's mountains, which are typically formed by the movement and collision of tectonic plates, the Moon's highlands were formed from low-density rock solidifying early in the Moon's history.

These highlands are heavily cratered due to meteorite impacts, giving them rounded and low-profile features in contrast to Earth's often sharper mountain ranges. Unlike Earth, the Moon does not have tectonic plates, so its lunar mountains in the highlands do not have sharp folds in their ranges.

Instead, they have low, rounded profiles that resemble the oldest and most eroded mountains on Earth. The smooth features of the Moon's highlands are attributed to gradual erosion from impact cratering by meteorites, as the Moon lacks an atmosphere and liquid water for weathering processes.

The lunar highlands are made up of relatively low-density rock that solidified on the cooling Moon, creating the lighter, heavily cratered regions that rise several kilometers higher than the maria. These highlands have a high density of impact craters, indicating their ancient origins dating between 4.1 and 4.4 billion years ago.