For some time, scientists have suspected that there might be a sign of water on the surface of the moon. However, the discovery of NASA has proved that it is completely true. You might be surprised to know that the recent discovery of NASA has shown that the amount of water on the moon can be beyond our imagination. Yes, you have heard it right, and the water can exist in different forms. Some recent studies suggest that the shadowy polar area can have water. The size of the area is equivalent to the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut. It is also revealed that water is trapped in the rocks and in the grains of the lunar soil.
The existence of water on the moon is undoubtedly a great discovery. It has brought some advantages for the astronauts. The water can be split chemically, and thus, it will be a rich source of oxygen as well as hydrogen. These can be used as rocket fuel, and the astronauts can also get breathable air.
Paul Hayne who is a reputed planetary scientist at the University of Colorado along with his colleagues tried to find out how much water is there on the surface of the moon. According to them, the temperature in the shadowy polar regions remains less than 163 C. Therefore, water cannot exist there in its liquid form. The source of the water must be comets and meteorites. Analysis of the high-resolution lunar images has shown that the polar region of the moon is almost 40,000 square kilometres. According to scientists, this area could hold water.
According to a study in 2009, there are some other spots on the lunar surface where water can exist. Scientists in 2009 detected a signature that is quite special. This signature suggested the presence of water. It is in the sunlit areas of the moon where the signature exists. However, there might be something different present in these areas; therefore, the presence of water is disputable.
Casey Honniball who is a lunar scientist along with his team also investigated some special signatures that could only be generated by water. In such a case, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy telescope of NASA had been used. It is a kind of infrared instrument that is attached to the Boeing 747. This Boeing 747 found that each kilogram of soil on the moon can have 100 milligrams of water that is equivalent to a raindrop.