2009 November 18
Water Discovered in Moon Shadow
Credit: LCROSS,
NASA Explanation: Why is there water on the Moon? Last month, the
LCROSS mission crashed a large
impactor into a
permanently shadowed crater near the Moon's South Pole. A
plume of dust rose that was visible to
the satellite, although hard to discern from Earth. The plume is
shown above in visible light. Last week, the results of a preliminary chemical analysis gave a clear indication that the
dust plume contained water. Such water is of importance not only for understanding the
history of the Moon, but as a possible reservoir for future astronauts trying to
live on the Moon for long periods. The
source of the
lunar water is now a topic of debate.
Possible origins include many small meteorites, a comet, or primordial
moon soil.