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News sources (for example, the Independent, the South China Morning Post, RT, and Newsweek) have reported recently on the observation from the Yutu-2 lunar rover of a "hut" object or "funny-shaped rock". Its distance from the rover is said to be 80 metres.

Approximately how large is it?

potentially square-shaped "hut" rock on the Moon as seen from the Yutu-2 lunar rover

(image source: https://twitter.com/AJ_FI/status/1466677831929405443)

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    $\begingroup$ Edited: four links added. $\endgroup$
    – ool
    Dec 7, 2021 at 17:44
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    $\begingroup$ @SE-stopfiringthegoodguys - Thanks for this. I couldn't find a match either, but it may be possible to match these features. Perhaps an image showing the object with the image's overall angle of view marked is also publicly available somewhere. $\endgroup$
    – ool
    Dec 7, 2021 at 19:07
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    $\begingroup$ The interpretation of this silhouette as a cube reflects the human visual bias towards rectilinear objects. If you zoom in and enhance the image, the object's true curvilinear nature will be revealed: a pair of buttocks. $\endgroup$
    – Woody
    Dec 7, 2021 at 22:32
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    $\begingroup$ We are being "Mooned" $\endgroup$
    – Woody
    Dec 7, 2021 at 22:49
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    $\begingroup$ @uhoh I found the FOVs, see below. $\endgroup$
    – Keith McClary
    Jan 8, 2022 at 20:57

2 Answers 2

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The width of the "funny-looking rock" is no more than about $6.0$ metres.

The fact that the field of view in the image shown cannot be wider than $360°$ allows us to calculate an approximate maximum possible width. The item takes up approximately $1/84$ of the width of field, so if the width of field represented $360°$ then the item would be about $(2\pi \times 80 \text{ metres}) \ / \ 84 = 6.0$ metres wide.

If the field of view is $360n°$, with $0<n\leqslant1$, then the item's approximate width is $6.0n$ metres. Examples: if the field of view is $60°$, the item's width is about $1.0$ metre; if it is $120°$, about $2.0$ metres.

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The so call hut rock observed by Yutu 2 is apparently another yutu!

'The "mysterious hut" as tall as the Arc de Triomphe turned out to be very small when approached,' they said in the update.

'The drivers were a little disappointed. Just as everyone was lost, a driver stared at the enlarged picture and covered his mouth and exclaimed: "Gosh! This is... Yutu!"'

It's a rock in the shape of a crouching rabbit! ... With rabbit food and droppings to complete the scene.

enter image description here

enter image description here

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