Water on the Moon Isn’t Just Hiding in the Shadows

Water on the Moon has been seen before in the shadows of craters. Now, water has been detected on the sunlit face of the Moon as well.

This illustration highlights the Moon’s Clavius Crater with an illustration depicting water trapped in the lunar soil there, along with an image of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) that found sunlit lunar water. Image credit: NASA

Water is essential to the exploration of the Solar System, and this presents one of the greatest challenges to the colonization of space. The discovery of water ice hidden in the dark recesses of deep craters opens new resources for astronauts as they reach out beyond the Earth. However, accessing that water, deep in treacherous craters, would be challenging.

Water was just found in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters in the Moon’s southern hemisphere, which is visible from Earth. This suggests water deposits may be found throughout the lunar surface.

Researchers previously saw evidence of water on the sunlit surface of the Moon, but evidence was uncertain. Hydroxyl, a fragment of molecules consisting of one atom each of hydrogen and oxygen, could have created the signal seen by researchers.

Rising Above the Din

SOFIA lifting off on a mission to explore the Cosmos. Image credit: Screenshot from NASA video.

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft, allowing researchers a chance…