Lunar samples on display at China's national museum

The lunar samples No. 001 brought back by China's Chang'e-5 probe is displayed at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Lunar samples brought back by China's Chang'e-5 probe are on public display at the National Museum of China on Saturday.

The samples, mainly soil from the lunar surface, are preserved in a container made of artificial crystal.

Designed in the shape of a zun, a traditional Chinese bronze ware, the container is 38.44 cm high and 22.89 cm wide. The height represents the average distance between Earth and the moon of 384,400 km, while the width represents the 22.89 days of the lunar probe's mission.

Besides the samples, the exhibition also features around 40 objects related to the lunar probe, together with multiple photos and videos.

After the exhibition in Beijing, the samples will begin a nationwide tour.

The Chang'e-5 probe, which returned to Earth on Dec. 17, retrieved a total of 1,731 grams of lunar samples from the moon.