Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
11:34
Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
Planetary science: constant illumination at the lunar north pole
D Ben J Bussey1, Kirsten E Fristad, Paul M Schenk
1Planetary Exploration Group, Space Department, The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20902, USA. ben.bussey@jhuapl.edu
Nature
|April 15, 2005
Summary
Scientists mapped lunar north pole illumination using Clementine data. Permanently sunlit regions near Peary crater
Area of Science:
- Lunar exploration
- Planetary science
- Astrogeology
Background:
- Understanding illumination patterns is crucial for lunar surface exploration.
- Previous studies lacked detailed quantitative illumination data for polar regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a quantitative illumination map of the Moon's north pole.
- To identify areas of permanent sunlight for potential lunar outpost sites.
Main Methods:
- Utilized images from the Clementine spacecraft.
- Generated a quantitative illumination map of the lunar north pole.
- Analyzed illumination percentages over a lunar day.
Main Results:
- Identified specific areas on the northern rim of Peary crater receiving constant sunlight during summer.
- These permanently sunlit areas are located near the Moon's north pole.
- The study quantifies the percentage of time surface points are illuminated.
Conclusions:
- Permanently sunlit areas near Peary crater are ideal for lunar outposts.
- These locations offer abundant solar energy and favorable thermal conditions.
- Proximity to shadowed regions suggests potential for water ice resources.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. He formulated his first two laws based on the observations of his forebears, Nikolaus Copernicus and Tycho Brahe.
Polish astronomer Nikolaus Copernicus put forth a theory that stated a heliocentric model for the solar system. According to this heliocentric theory, all the planets, including Earth, orbit the Sun in circular orbits.
On the other hand,...
Polish astronomer Nikolaus Copernicus put forth a theory that stated a heliocentric model for the solar system. According to this heliocentric theory, all the planets, including Earth, orbit the Sun in circular orbits.
On the other hand,...
01:29Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. His first law states that all planets orbit the Sun in an elliptical orbit, with the Sun at one of the ellipse's foci. Therefore, the distance of a planet from the Sun varies throughout its revolution around the Sun.
While in an elliptical orbit, the total energy of the planet is conserved. Therefore, the planet slows down when it is at apogee and...
While in an elliptical orbit, the total energy of the planet is conserved. Therefore, the planet slows down when it is at apogee and...
01:18Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. In 1909, he formulated his first two laws based on the observations of his forebears, Nikolaus Copernicus and Tycho Brahe. However, in 1918, he published his third law of planetary motion, which gives a precise mathematical relationship between a planet's average distance from the Sun and the amount of time it takes to revolve around the Sun. It...
01:42Simple Harmonic Motion and Uniform Circular Motion
While simple harmonic motion and uniform circular motion may be two separate concepts, they correlate and interlink with each other. Simple harmonic motion is an oscillatory motion in a system where the net force can be described by Hooke's law, while uniform circular motion is the motion of an object in a circular path at constant speed.
There is an easy way to produce simple harmonic motion by using uniform circular motion. For instance, consider a ball attached to a uniformly rotating...
There is an easy way to produce simple harmonic motion by using uniform circular motion. For instance, consider a ball attached to a uniformly rotating...
01:16Gravitation
In the years before Newton, a general belief prevailed that different laws governed objects in the sky than objects on Earth. When Kepler wrote down the three laws of planetary motion, explaining in detail the geometrical properties of the planetary orbits around the Sun, there was no immediate idea to discern their connection with more fundamental laws. It was Isaac Newton who, in 1665–66, figured out the connection between planetary motion, the motion of the moon around the Earth, and the...
01:19Magnetic Declination
Magnetic declination is the angle between true north, which aligns with the Earth's rotational axis, and magnetic north, which follows the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. This discrepancy exists because the magnetic poles do not coincide with the geographic poles. The value of magnetic declination depends on the observer's location on Earth and is subject to changes over time due to the dynamic nature of the Earth's magnetic field.The declination is called eastern when magnetic north...