Water found on the lunar surface: “This is the first time such a discovery has been made”

NASA has announced that it has found traces of water on the moon’s sunny surface for the first time. While it has been reported that the historic discovery was made by the Stratosphere Observatory Telescope SOFIA, the scientists explained that the moon’s water is more common than previously known. Research conducted 11 years ago revealed that small amounts of relatively common water have been found on the Moon, but it was the first time that clear water molecules have undoubtedly been discovered on the Moon’s surface.

Another team said permanent shadows were observed on the surface to cover an area of ​​around 40,000 square meters. The possibility that it is water that has turned into ice is emphasized.

To understand what this discovery meant, we asked our questions to Deputy Director Assoc. Of Spacebimer of the Erciyes University. Dr. We communicated this to Ahmet Dervişoğlu. Dervişoğlu, “Since the Moon does not have an atmosphere, water easily escapes the surface of the moon under the effect of sunlight. However, thanks to this discovery, we learned that there is also water in the part of the Moon that is affected by the sun’s rays and has been preserved there without escaping. This is the first time such a discovery has been made. It is very important in this sense. The discovery on the Moon will also be important for understanding the structure of the Solar System and the process of formation of the Moon.” She said.

THIS TIME NO ITEMS!

The presence of water on the Moon can completely change the course of lunar missions if a future resource is found. The team led by Casey Honniball of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has discovered water molecules in natural glass or waste material.

Photo: Reuters

The situation that raised suspicion in previous observations was the question mark as to whether it was the water molecule or the hydroxyl with similarities to the water molecule. It has been claimed that the new discovery leaves no room for doubt.

The only way this water can survive on the sunny lunar surfaces where it is observed is to be protected from the cold and unsuitable environment by being buried in mineral grains.

Associate professor. Ahmet Dervişoğlu, pointing out that water is encountered in all planets of the Solar System, albeit in very small quantities, said:

“Water, the main source of life, is found quite widely in the universe. However, as these celestial bodies are far from us, it is unlikely that we will reach them. For this reason, water exploration studies are more recent; It is done most intensely in the system we are in.

Very small amounts of water have been detected in all planets of the solar system. For example, Mercury’s very thin atmosphere is known to have 3.4% water vapor in gaseous form. (1). 0.002% of water vapor was discovered in the atmosphere of Venus. (2). Similarly, water vapor has been found in the atmosphere of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. “

DARK AREAS FOUND IN THE SECOND STUDY

A second study was published by Nature Astronomy. While pointing out that there are cold and dark regions on the moon, it has been determined that there are dark regions that can drop as low as minus 163 degrees Celsius. It was pointed out that the water that may have frozen over time in these regions can remain intact for billions of years.

Using information from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter space probe and led by Paul Hayne of the University of Colorado, the research has uncovered tens of billions of tiny shadows in the moon’s polar regions, most of which are no larger than the size of coins.

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“Our research shows that many previously unknown regions of the moon can contain water in the form of ice. Our results show that water is much more common in the Moon’s polar regions than previously known. This will make it easier to access, collect and analyze, “he said.

‘MORE COMMON THAN WE THINK’

Honniball said: “Water is not found only in the polar regions. It is much more common than we think. “Despite all this, the source of water on the Moon, which is the real question mark, has not yet been discovered.

Saying, “The origin of water on the moon is one of the big questions we’re trying to answer through this and other research,” Hayne said. “The Moon itself exits through comets, asteroids, interplanetary dust particles, solar winds and gas from volcanic eruptions.”

NASA, which previously announced that it will announce an “exciting” new discovery on the moon on October 26, plans to send a male and a female astronaut to the surface of the moon in 2024 as part of the program called Artemis.

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