China national museum to exhibit lunar samples

BEIJING — The National Museum of China on Feb 23 announced that it would exhibit the lunar samples brought back by China's Chang'e-5 probe.

The samples arrived at the museum on Feb 22 and the exhibition is under preparation, according to the museum. They are preserved in a delicate container made of artificial crystal.

Designed in the shape of a Zun, a traditional Chinese bronze ware, the container is 38.44 centimeters high and 22.89 cm wide. The size refers to the average distance between the Earth and the moon of 384,400 kilometers and the 22.89-day-long lunar probe task, respectively.

The return capsule of the Chang'e-5 probe landed on Dec 17, retrieving about 1,731 grams of lunar samples.