Crater in permanent shadow at the south pole of the Moon
Crater in permanent shadow at the south pole of the Moon
The Moon’s rotational axis is almost perpendicular to the plan of its orbit around the Sun – the ecliptic – on which it travels together with the Earth. As a result, the Sun remains very low on the horizon at both lunar poles, and its rays do not reach inside some deep craters. For over 20 years, researchers have hypothesised that temperatures below minus 160 degrees Celsius prevail in these permanently shaded regions. At such low temperatures, water ice is thought to be stable. The IM-2 mission aims to provide new insights into this phenomenon.
