A recent study by Indian researchers has revealed that the Moon's nighttime temperatures dropped by 8-10 Kelvin during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. This finding suggests a possible connection between changes in Earth's atmosphere and our closest celestial neighbour.

Lunar Cooling During Lockdown

The study, which analysed data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, found that the temperature drop coincided with a significant reduction in human activity on Earth. As global lockdowns led to fewer greenhouse gas emissions and aerosols, Earth's radiation patterns changed, which may have caused the cooling effect on the Moon.

Published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, the research was led by K Durga Prasad and G Ambily from India's Physical Research Laboratory (PRL). The team studied lunar surface temperatures at six different locations from 2017 to 2023. The findings suggest that human activity could have an influence beyond Earth, potentially affecting environments in space.

Future Research Needed

PRL Director Anil Bharadwaj emphasised the importance of these results, which offer a unique opportunity to understand how human-induced changes on Earth may impact the Moon. The study provides valuable insights, though further research is required to explore the full extent of the Earth-Moon dynamic. Future lunar observatories could help deepen our understanding of these interactions.