{"id":36969,"date":"2022-10-07T08:30:28","date_gmt":"2022-10-07T08:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=112564"},"modified":"2022-10-07T08:46:11","modified_gmt":"2022-10-07T08:46:11","slug":"temperate-moon-pits-could-be-perfect-location-for-human-lunar-bases","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/temperate-moon-pits-could-be-perfect-location-for-human-lunar-bases\/","title":{"rendered":"Temperate Moon pits could be perfect location for human lunar bases"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Ezzy Pearson\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 07 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

The shady bottoms of lunar pits remain at a comfortable 17\u00b0C no matter the time of day or night, according to recent observations by the Lunar Reconnaissance orbiter (LRO)<\/p>\n

The finding that pits on the Moon have relatively stable, temperate conditions potentially earmarks them as sites for future lunar bases.<\/p>\n

As NASA\u2019s Artemis programme<\/a>\u00a0prepares to return human beings to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo missions<\/a>, information like this could be of vital use to future explorers.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
On the Moon, the 60m-wide Marius Hills pit floor stays a comfy 17\u00b0C day and night. Credit: NASA\/Goddard\/Arizona State University<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

And while the temperature in these pits remains stable and relatively comfortable, conversely most of the lunar surface swings wildly between two extremes.<\/p>\n

During the 15 days of lunar sunshine, surface temperatures on the Moon can reach as high as 127\u00b0C, only to drop to \u2013173\u00b0C during the lunar night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLunar pits are a fascinating feature on the lunar surface,\u201d says LRO project scientist Noah Petro from NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnowing that they create a stable thermal environment helps us paint a picture of these unique lunar features and the prospect of one day exploring them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pits in question were first discovered in 2009 by the Japanese Kaguya orbiter and were soon touted as potential sites for a human base, offering protection from cosmic radiation and micrometeorites.<\/p>\n

Now knowing that they also set the thermostat to room temperature, they seem an even better candidate.<\/p>\n

www.lroc.asu.edu<\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

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