The moon may seem like a cold, lifeless rock, but its surface temperature can fluctuate dramatically depending on the amount of sunlight it receives. According to John Monnier, a professor of astronomy at the University of Michigan, the moon’s temperature can range from as hot as 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) to as cold as minus 148 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 100 degrees Celsius). This drastic temperature swing is due in part to the moon’s lack of an atmosphere, which leaves it vulnerable to the full heat of the sun.
In contrast to Earth, where vast oceans and atmospheric gases trap heat and maintain moderate temperatures, the rocky moon bakes or chills in light and shadow. The moon’s surface also retains heat or cold, depending on its insulating regolith. However, this regolith is not a conductor, which means that the temperature extremes below the surface are less extreme than those at the surface.
According to NASA, temperatures near the moon’s equator can reach 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius) in sunlight and drop to minus 207 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 133 degrees Celsius) in darkness. At the moon’s poles, where the sun never rises or sets, the temperature remains relatively stable, with some craters remaining around 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius). Researchers believe that these permanently shadowed regions may contain trapped ice particles, which could be crucial for human survival on the moon.
Understanding how the moon’s temperatures fluctuate is crucial for future exploration and development of lunar settlements. Scientists must build equipment that can withstand extreme temperature highs and lows, as well as understand how the insulating regolith interacts with instruments to avoid overheating. Monnier emphasizes the importance of studying the moon’s temperature variations to create equipment that will last in these harsh conditions.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/the-moon/what-temperature-is-the-moon