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In recent years, observations have hinted at the existence of water on the moon, but lacked concrete evidence. Now, two studies published October 26 in Nature Astronomy have found water near the moon’s south pole and claim it is more abundant than previously predicted.
The bulk of the water appears to be found in “cold traps,” which are areas that are permanently shadowed. These dark spots can dip to temperatures as low as –163 ºC, keeping the water in a solid state. The rest of the water is found at the surface, though it appears to be contained within microscopic glass and dust. Because this water was found in direct sunlight, which can reach 127 ºC in the sun, the researchers suggest the minerals are protecting the water from vaporizing and dissipating.
“A lot of people think that the detection I’ve made is water ice, which ...
