Knowra Lunar south pole Lunar south pole The Moon’s southernmost point, at 90° south latitude, lies amid rugged terrain where some crater floors remain permanently shadowed while nearby ridges receive sunlight for long periods.
Permanently shadowed region : An area that receives no direct sunlight, often found inside polar craters on the Moon. The south pole’s cold, dark crater floors may preserve water ice and other volatile substances.
Lunar libration : The apparent rocking of the Moon that exposes slightly different portions of its surface over time. Libration changes the geometry of sunlight near the pole without directly illuminating every crater floor.
Shackleton crater : A large impact crater near the Moon’s south pole, with a rim that receives substantial sunlight. Its shadowed interior and illuminated rim make it a prominent site for polar science and exploration.
Lunar north pole : The northernmost point on the Moon, at 90° north latitude, surrounded by similarly rugged polar terrain. It also hosts cold traps, but the south pole has become the focus of several prominent exploration plans.
Lunar water : Water found or inferred on the Moon as ice, bound molecules, or trace vapor. Polar ice could support science and future operations, though its abundance and accessibility remain uncertain.
Lunar axial tilt : The angle between the Moon’s rotation axis and the perpendicular to its orbital plane, about 1.5 degrees. The Moon’s small axial tilt keeps some polar crater interiors outside direct sunlight.
Cabeus crater : A lunar impact crater near the south pole whose permanently shadowed interior was targeted by the LCROSS mission. LCROSS detected water and other compounds in material ejected from this crater.
Lunar equator : The circle around the Moon halfway between its poles, at 0° latitude. Equatorial locations have different illumination cycles and terrain from the south pole’s shadowed craters and sunlit ridges.
Lunar polar exploration : The investigation of the Moon’s polar regions by spacecraft, landers, and crewed missions. The south pole is a central destination for robotic exploration and proposed human missions.
Lunar crater : A roughly circular depression on the Moon, usually formed by an impact or volcanic activity. Crater rims block low-angle sunlight and create shadowed interiors near the pole.
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