Scientists from NASA have found that dark spots inside craters near the moon's south pole may be the coldest point in the solar system. it's even colder than the coldest spot yet measured in Pluto.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter which was launched in June is making the first complete temperature map of the moon. The data received from the probe shows that dark spots inside craters near the moon's south pole recorded an average daytime temperature of –238 C ( -397 F). It is 10 C less than the coldest spot measured in Pluto in 2006. The temperature is only just 35 degrees warmer than absolute zero, the coldest temperature possible.
According to scientists, the crater is permanently in shadow, never receiving any sunlight making it the coldest point in our solar system. The Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment had measured these temperature in craters which were within bigger craters making it impossible to receive any light from the sun.
Ashwin Vasavada who was a member of the study
said:
After decades of speculation, Diviner has given us the first confirmation that these strange, permanently dark and extremely cold places actually exist on our moon. The lunar south pole is among the coldest parts of the solar system and may be in fact colder than what we expect from places like Pluto.
Scientists are hopeful that these colder region may cold-trap water ice, as well as other more volatile compounds, for extended periods. This may aid astronomers in understanding more about the origin of the early solar system.
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