Get it on Google Play

NASA Confirms Presence of Water on the Moon

Updated Tuesday 27 October 2020 10:26
NASA Confirms Presence of Water on the Moon
NASA has confirmed the presence of water on the moon's sunlit surface, a breakthrough that suggests the chemical compound that is vital to life on Earth could be distributed across more parts of the lunar surface than the ice that has previously been found in dark and cold areas.

Did you know? You can comment on this post! Just scroll down

"We don't know yet if we can use it as a resource," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said, but he added that learning more about the water is crucial to U.S. plans to explore the moon.

The discovery comes from the space agency's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA — a modified Boeing 747 that can take its large telescope high into Earth's atmosphere, at altitudes up to 45,000 feet. Those heights allow researchers to peer at objects in space with hardly any visual disruptions from water vapor.

The water molecules are in Clavius crater, a large crater in the moon's southern hemisphere. To detect the molecules, SOFIA used a special infrared camera that can discern between water's specific wavelength of 6.1 microns and that of its close chemical relative hydroxyl, or OH.

"Data from this location reveal water in concentrations of 100 to 412 parts per million — roughly equivalent to a 12-ounce bottle of water — trapped in a cubic meter of soil spread across the lunar surface," NASA said in a release about the discovery.

"This is not puddles of water but instead water molecules that are so spread apart that they do not form ice or liquid water," said Casey Honniball, the lead author of a study about the discovery.

Article Posted 4 Years ago. You can post your own articles and it will be published for free. No Registration is required! But we review before publishing! Click here to get started

Love This? Share It!

One Favour Please! Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel!

468k

Cook Amazing Nigerian Dishes, Follow Adorable Kitchen YouTube Channel!

1.1m

Like us on Facebook, Follow on Twitter

React and Comment

Click Here To Hide More Posts Like This

Watch and Download Free Mobile Movies, Read entertainment news and reports, Download music and Upload your own For FREE. Submit Your Content to be published for you FREE! We thrive on user-submitted content! But we moderate!

Get it on Google Play
Attention
We use cookies to serve you better. We have to let you know this in accordance with EU laws. You accept our terms and conditions by using this platform. Please Click on the OK button below to hide this message