A place with a comfortable temperature for humans has been discovered on the moon

The moon is far from the most hospitable place. Even if you do not take into account the risk of micrometeor impacts and extreme radiation, this cratered desert greets visitors with sudden temperature changes - from 127 ° C during the day to -173 ° C at night. However, after a long study of the surface of the satellite using the probe Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), researchers found a place with acceptable conditions for a person.

We are talking about at least two lunar pits, which, judging by the visible ledges, lead deep into caves and lava tubes. They can be large enough to contain entire cities. According to the LRO thermal imaging camera, due to the constant shadow during the long lunar day (almost 15 Earth days), the temperature there is almost unchanged - about 17 ° C.

The team, which included UCLA planetary science professor David Page and Paul Hein of the University of Colorado at Boulder, believes that shading is responsible for stable temperatures, limiting heating during the day and preventing heat radiation. at night.

Of course, any future lunar bases will have pretty thorough climate control anyway, but it's nice to know that they won't have to work hard, the scientists noted. The find proves that such caves must play a decisive role in the return of mankind to the moon, which NASA is preparing as early as 2024.

Pits on the moon were first discovered in 2009, and since then scientists have wondered if they lead to caves that can be explored or used as shelters from radiation and extremes temperature.

The same caves on the moon are the American company Lonestar Data Holdings plans be used to store humanity's most important data.