Question: Name the heavenly body on which NASA orbiter spotted water molecules while moving around recently?
(a) Mars
(b) Venus
(c) Moon
(d) Titan
Answer: (c)
Related facts:
- On 10 March 2019 NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) have observed water molecules moving around the dayside of the moon as per US space agency.
- Measurements from the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) instrument abroad the LRO of the sparse layer of the molecules temporarily stuck to the surface helped characterize lunar hydration changes over the course of a day.
- Until the last decade the scientists thought that the moon was arid, with water existing mainly as pockets of ice in permanently shaded craters near the poles.
- At the time, the discovery was a major shift from the consensus view that most water on the Moon is located near its poles.
By Siddharth
Links:
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/nasa-orbiter-spots-water-molecules-moving-around-on-moon-says-study/article26488576.ece
https://www.theweek.in/news/sci-tech/2019/03/10/moon-nasa-orbiter-spots-water-molecules-on-lunar-surface.html
https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/orissa+post-epaper-orisapos/nasa+orbiter+spots+water+molecules+on+moon-newsid-110775550
https://futurism.com/nasa-lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter-moving-water-moon