The Moon’s South Pole is a fascinating region to study,
especially when you pay attention to the areas that are in sunlight and darkness over time.
And thanks to NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, we can zoom in
for an extremely close view of the terrain that shows how the sun shines on the South Pole.
Here, we see how the Moon’s topography creates areas of shadows
over the course of two lunar days, which is equal to two months on Earth.
The flowing dance of sunlight and shadow on the surface
reveals areas that exist in permanent darkness, nearly persistent sunshine,
and others where the balance of light and dark fluctuates thru time.
Studying the shadows at the South Pole
informs scientists about the temperature at and below the surface,
and the possibilities regarding water and other volatiles –
all of which sheds light on what future lunar exploration will entail.