Brief
NASA astronaut photographs 600‑million‑year‑old anorthosite massif in Madagascar
The Saririaky massif, a 100‑square‑kilometre anorthosite body, was photographed from orbit on Aug. 28, 2026.
By Felo News Desk · Published
A NASA astronaut on the International Space Station photographed a massive anorthosite formation in southern Madagascar on Aug. 28, 2026, revealing a rock type that is also abundant on the Moon.
What happened
The image shows the Saririaky anorthosite massif, a roughly circular body covering about 100 square kilometres (40 square miles). The formation stands out in satellite photos because the bright, Moon‑like rock contrasts with the surrounding dry, rugged terrain. Scientists say the rock formed in the late Precambrian, making it at least 600 million years old.
What the reports add
Scitechdaily notes that anorthosite is an intrusive igneous rock that solidifies beneath the surface, allowing large mineral crystals to develop. While the Moon’s highlands are largely composed of anorthosite, the rock also occurs on Earth in places such as eastern Canada, Scandinavia, southern India and Madagascar. The article explains that the Malagasy massif lies within a ductile shear zone, where intense heat and pressure stretched and deformed surrounding rocks, creating parallel metamorphic patterns that run north‑south.
What was said
The outlet does not quote any individual, but attributes the description of the formation and its geological context to NASA scientists and the article’s author.
How it came about
Geologists believe the deformation of the Saririaky region occurred during the assembly of the supercontinent Gondwana, when present‑day Africa, India, Madagascar, Australia and Antarctica collided. Earlier Felo coverage linked similar lunar‑related research to NASA’s broader lunar programme, including recent articles on lunar crater discoveries and upcoming lander missions.
Key facts
- An astronaut aboard the ISS photographed the Saririaky anorthosite massif on Aug. 28, 2026. (scitechdaily.com)
- The formation covers roughly 100 km² (40 mi²) and is at least 600 million years old. (scitechdaily.com)
- Anorthosite is the dominant rock type of the Moon’s highlands and also occurs in limited Earth locations. (scitechdaily.com)
- The massif lies within a ductile shear zone that deformed surrounding rocks during the Gondwana assembly. (scitechdaily.com)
Sources
- [1] scitechdaily.com — originally reported as “NASA Captures a Strange Formation on Earth With a Surprising Lunar Connection”
