Large amounts of water found on moon after bombing
Updated on 13 November 2009
The US space agency Nasa has found "large amounts" of water on the moon, after smashing a rocket and probe into a large crater at the lunar south pole.
The moon may look a little dusty, but according to Nasa, the moon is more watery than it at first appears.
Preliminary data from Nasa's 'Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, suggests its latest mission has successfully uncovered water.
When a rocket from LCROSS was impacted onto the surface of the moon, a two-part plume of material from the bottom of the crater emerged. The first part was a plume of vapor and fine dust and the second a curtain of heavier material which has not seen sunlight in billions of years.
"We're unlocking the mysteries of our nearest neighbour and by extension the solar system. It turns out the moon harbors many secrets, and LCROSS has added a new layer to our understanding," said Michael Wargo, chief lunar scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Dr Greg Delory from the Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkley said:
"One possible source for the water is from comets.
"The moon has been impacted by comets in the past and if that's true - the polar regions really are repositaries for this material that means that they are a literal treasure trove of information in terms of the composition of comets which are themselves indicitvve of early solar system conditions.
"That would be of extreme interest to many planetary scientists."
