Some craters on the moon are always at an angle of 63 degrees, opening up the possibility of habitation: NPR
The researchers found that craters and caves on the moon reach stable temperatures, making them potentially suitable for human life.
Laurent Emmanuel / AFP via Getty Images
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Laurent Emmanuel / AFP via Getty Images
The researchers found that craters and caves on the moon reach stable temperatures, making them potentially suitable for human life.
Laurent Emmanuel / AFP via Getty Images
Hoping to one day live on the moon? Your chances are just slightly better.
Follow new research from planetary scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Although much of the moon’s surface ranges from temperatures as high as 260 degrees during the day to as low as 280 degrees to below zero at night, the researchers say these stable points can vary. future of Moon exploration and permanent habitation.
The shadow areas of these craters can also provide protection from harmful elements, such as solar radiation, cosmic rays, and microscopic objects.
For perspective, one day or night on the moon is equivalent to more than two weeks on Earth – making long-term study and habitation difficult with such extreme heat and cold.
Some of the pits are likely collapsed lava tubes
About 16 of the more than 200 discovered craters most likely came from collapsed lava tubes – tunnels that form from crust or cooled lava, according to Tyler Horvath, a UCLA doctoral student and stander research head.
The researchers suggest that the protrusion inside the craters, first discovered in 2009, could be the reason for the stable temperature.
The team also includes UCLA planetary science professors David Paige and Paul Hayne at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Using images from NASA’s Diviner . lunar radiation experiment To determine fluctuations in the Moon’s surface and crater temperatures, the researchers focused on Mare Tranquillitatis – an area the size of a football field. They used the model to study the thermal properties of the rocks and lunar dust in the crater.
“Humans evolved to live in caves, and we can return to caves while living on the moon,” Paige said in a UCLA press release.
There are still plenty of other challenges to establishing any form of permanent human habitation on the moon – including growing food and providing enough oxygen. The researchers clarified that NASA has no immediate plans to establish a base camp or settlements there.
