The sun might be spitting out particles that create water on the moon
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Future moon astronauts may find water more accessible than previously thought, according to a new experiment that suggests the sun is replenishing the sought-after resource on the lunar surface.
Because the moon lacks a magnetic field like Earth's, the barren lunar surface is constantly bombarded by energetic particles from the sun; these particles make up the solar wind. Scientists have long suspected, based on computer simulations, that the solar wind helps make the ingredients of water on the lunar surface.
The high-speed particles, primarily composed of positively charged hydrogen ions, capture lunar electrons to become hydrogen atoms. The newly-formed hydrogen atoms then migrate through the dusty and rocky regolith to bond with oxygen, forming hydroxyl and water molecules across the surface, often concentrating in permanently shadowed polar regions. However, the natural cycle and renewability of these ingredients remained unclear. So, to shed light on this process, Li Hsia Yeo, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, led a lab experiment observing the effects of simulated solar wind on two samples of loose regolith brought to Earth by the Apollo 17 mission.
One of the samples was dug from a scar-like trench called Wessex Cleft and the other from the bottom of a young crater rim in South Massif. To remove any terrestrial water the 50-year-old samples would have absorbed since their return to Earth, Yeo and her team baked the samples overnight in a vacuum furnace. To mimic conditions on the moon, the researchers built a custom apparatus that included a vacuum chamber, where the samples were placed, and a tiny particle accelerator, which the scientists used to bombard the samples with hydrogen ions for several days.
"It took a long time and many iterations to design the apparatus components and get them all to fit inside," Jason McLain, a research scientist at NASA Goddard who co-led the experiment with Yeo, said in a statement, "but it was worth it, because once we eliminated all possible sources of contamination, we learned that this decades-old idea about the solar wind turns out to be true."
An analysis of how the samples' chemical makeup changed over time showed a drop in the light signal at the same spot in the infrared region — near three microns — where water absorbs energy. This indicates the formation of hydroxyl and water molecules due to the mock solar wind, confirming the long-held theory, the study reports.
The team also found that heating the samples to typical lunar dayside temperatures of about 260 degrees Fahrenheit (126 degrees Celsius) for 24 hours led to a decrease in these water-related molecules. But when the samples were cooled for another 24 hours and blasted with mock solar wind again, the water-related signatures reappeared. This cycle suggests the solar wind continuously replenishes small amounts of water on the moon's surface, according to the new study.
"The exciting thing here is that with only lunar soil and a basic ingredient from the sun — which is always spitting out hydrogen — there's a possibility of creating water," Yeo said in a statement. "That's incredible to think about."
Related Stories:
— NASA's sun-studying PUNCH mission captures its 1st-light images. Everything looks great so far
— A hidden solar cycle is awakening, but more extreme space weather over the next 50 years may not be a bad thing
— Blue Skies Space to build satellite fleet around the moon to map the ancient universe
Supporting this idea, observations from previous moon missions have revealed an abundance of hydrogen gas in the moon's tenuous atmosphere. Scientists suspect that solar-wind-driven heating facilitates the combination of hydrogen atoms on the surface into hydrogen gas, which then escapes into space.
This process also has a surprising upside, the new study suggests. Leftover oxygen atoms are free to bond with new hydrogen atoms formed by repeated bombardment of the solar wind, prepping the moon for more water formation on a renewable basis.
The findings could help assess how sustainable water on the moon is, as the sought-after resource is crucial for both life support and as propellant for rockets.
The team's study was published in March in the journal JGR Planets.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Piece of pristine asteroid gives Field Museum scientists a look billions of years into the past
Field Museum scientist will be able to temporarily study of piece of pristine asteroid Field Museum scientist will be able to temporarily study of piece of pristine asteroid Field Museum scientist will be able to temporarily study of piece of pristine asteroid Scientists at the Field Museum can now get a glimpse of 4.5 billion years into the past. This is because the museum is the new temporary home to a tiny piece of a pristine asteroid. The little black fragment came from the near-Earth asteroid called Bennu. NASA launched a mission in 2016 to retrieve samples of the asteroid and brought them back two years ago. Now, scientists at the Field Museum will use a scanning electron microscope to get an up-close look at the tiny piece. "We believe Bennu contains part of the ingredients for life and part of the ingredients of the formation of Earth," Dr. Phillipp Heck said. Unlike a meteorite, the asteroid's fragments are pristine, meaning they are uncontaminated by the Earth's atmosphere. The sample won't be on display, but the Field Museum is home to one of the largest collections of meteorites in the world.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Experts raise red flags over alarming new threat that could devastate the Amazon: 'The ecosystem as a whole loses resilience'
Amazonian fish are facing an alarming new threat. A series of extreme droughts is drying up the region's rivers and wetlands — and scientists say the consequences could be devastating for both wildlife and local communities. According to a recent report from Mongabay, the Amazon is experiencing some of the lowest water levels in recorded history. In Brazil's Lake Tefé, water temperatures soared above 102 degrees Fahrenheit in late 2023, killing thousands of fish. In the same area, over 150 Amazon river dolphins also died, likely due to the same extreme conditions. Fish species like tambaqui, aracu, and piramutaba — many of which are vital to local fisheries — are especially vulnerable to warming waters, low oxygen, and disrupted migration patterns. "However, if many species are lost, the remaining populations become more vulnerable and the ecosystem as a whole loses resilience," researcher Priit Zingel told Mongabay. Experts link this crisis to a combination of rising global temperatures, prolonged drought, and widespread deforestation — all of which are disrupting the water cycle across the Amazon Basin. More than 30 million people live in the Amazon region, many of whom depend on rivers for food and income. When fish populations crash, so do local economies and food security. This isn't just about one region. Similar challenges are unfolding globally. Italy's Adriatic Sea shows how warming waters are harming coastal communities, and scientists in Florida are sounding alarms about ancient sturgeon species in decline due to shifting river conditions. If extreme droughts in the Amazon continue, both biodiversity and human livelihoods could face long-term harm — setting back progress toward a safer, more sustainable future. Local leaders and researchers are advocating for better water and forest management, stronger environmental protections, and coordinated global efforts to reduce the pollution fueling these extremes. Tools like NASA's sea-level tracking platform and expanded conservation funding are helping scientists better understand and respond to these challenges. Individuals can support change by staying informed, talking with family and friends, and taking local action. Understanding how this crisis connects to global trends — including threats to fish in the Mekong River and the broader Amazon drought — is key to building the momentum needed for real solutions. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Spacecraft unveils 1st-ever images of sun's south pole: 'Beginning of a new era'
Spacecraft unveils 1st-ever images of sun's south pole: 'Beginning of a new era' European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter, which launched from Florida in 2020, got a historic look at the sun's south pole. Plenty of spacecraft and telescopes have throughout the years been able to observe the sun up close – with plenty more missions on the way. In late-December 2024, NASA's Parker Solar Probe got closer to the sun than any spacecraft before it. Earlier that same month, the European Space Agency sent a pair of satellites toward the sun to create "solar eclipses on demand." And in March, NASA sent four small satellites on its PUNCH mission to study how the sun's outer atmosphere becomes solar wind. But no spacecraft has ever gotten a good look at either of the sun's poles. Until now. In March, a spacecraft captured the first-ever clear images of the sun's south pole, which the European Space Agency released Wednesday, June 11. 'We reveal humankind's first-ever views of the sun's pole,' Carole Mundell, director of science for the European Space Agency, said in a statement. 'These new unique views from our Solar Orbiter mission are the beginning of a new era of solar science.' Here's a look at what the Solar Orbiter captured, and why ESA officials believe it will help scientists better understand our life-giving host star. Solar Orbiter: Newly-released photos capture the sun in highest resolution ever ESA orbiter gets 1st look at sun's south pole Before you saw the picture above, any image you have ever seen of the sun was taken from around its equator. Why? Because Earth, like all the planets in our solar system, orbits the sun along a line across a flat, disc-shaped plane in the sky known as the ecliptic. That means all the spacecraft we launch into orbit tend to do so as well. But by tilting the Solar Orbiter's orbit out of that plane, the ESA was able to reveal the sun from a brand new angle. The process began in February 2025 when the Solar Orbiter passed closely by Venus for a gravitational boost that allowed the spacecraft to push itself out of the orbital plane to see the sun at a higher angle. Then on March 23, the Solar Orbiter whizzed by the sun at an angle of 17 degrees, as compared to the 7 degree-orbit of all the planets and other sun-observing spacecraft, to get some historic snapshots of the south pole. A few days prior, the Solar Orbiter was also able to view the sun from an angle of 15 degrees below the equator while using its fleet of on-board instruments to observe the sun in different wavelengths – including visible light and ultraviolet light. The images were taken as the sun's peak activity, known as its solar maximum, begins to wind down. ESA scientists believe that studying the sun's polar regions could be key to unlocking secrets about the sun's 11-year solar cycle, which can cause space weather that disrupts satellites and even causes northern lights to flourish. "The sun is our nearest star, giver of life and potential disruptor of modern space and ground power systems, so it is imperative that we understand how it works and learn to predict its behavior," Mundell said. What is the Solar Orbiter? The Solar Orbiter launched February 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida with 10 scientific instruments to study the sun. Its mission? Gather images of the sun from closer than any spacecraft before it and study the hot star's polar regions to understand things like the sun's atmosphere, its solar cycle and how solar wind forms. In November, the ESA released images the Solar Orbiter obtained in March 2023 that the agency said are the highest-resolution views of the sun's surface, known as the photosphere, to date. Solar Orbiter also got a look at sun's north pole According to the ESA, the best views from the Solar Orbiter are yet to come. In the coming years, the Solar Orbiter will continue to orbit around the sun at even higher angles, reaching as much as 33 degrees in July 2029. Scientists at the ESA also expect to receive images of the north solar pole by October that the Solar Orbiter has already taken. 'This is just the first step," Daniel Müller, Solar Orbiter project scientist for the ESA, said in a statement. "In the coming years, the spacecraft will climb further out of the ecliptic plane for ever better views of the sun's polar regions." Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
