At the same time, the team developed a common language to describe the stratigraphy, or rock layers, of the moon (shown in a 1:1 detail above). The end result is a map that uses color to distinguish between different geological formations and time periods. For instance, much of the topography was formed in the Imbrian era 3.5 billion years ago, as shown as pink on the map. At that point, there were still a lot of asteroids and debris soaring wildly around our solar system, which smashed into the moon and created some of the larger impact craters.

It doesn’t just look pretty — the map will greatly help NASA and other organizations plan future landing sites optimized for scientific missions. “It provides vital information for new scientific studies by connecting the exploration of specific sites on the moon with the rest of the lunar surface,” said USGS lead author Corey Fortezzo.

Artemis could take humans to the moon as early as 2024, if we’re (very) lucky. This time we plan to stay there. “People have always been fascinated by the moon and when we might return," said USGS Director and former NASA astronaut Jim Reilly in a press release. “So, it’s wonderful to see USGS create a resource that can help NASA with their planning.”