Research reveals COVID-19 lockdown affected lunar temperatures

Indian scientists recently made a fascinating discovery: the global COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 not only affected the Earth, but also the temperature of the moon. A study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters found that nighttime lunar temperatures dropped by 8 to 10 Kelvin during the strict lockdown period between April and May 2020.

Led by Dr. K. Durga Prasad and Dr. G. Ambily of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), the research team used data collected by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The team analyzed six locations on the moon’s near side between 2017 and 2023, comparing temperature data from different years. They observed a marked drop in temperatures during the height of global lockdowns, compared to other years in the study. The reduction in outgoing radiation from Earth during this period, coupled with reduced human activity and fewer greenhouse gas emissions, is thought to have caused the unusual cooling on the moon’s surface.

Temperature analysis and future implications

According to the study, the lowest recorded lunar temperature in 2020 was 96.2 K on one of the siteswhile the highest of the lowest temperatures in 2022 was 143.8 K. The temperature fluctuations over the years suggest that the moon’s thermal environment is sensitive to changes on Earth.

The scientists suggest that this unique period of global inactivity has provided insight into the relationship between Earth’s atmosphere and the moon. Although more data are needed to fully understand this correlation, the study opens up new possibilities for observing Earth’s climate from the moon. Future lunar observatories could play an important role in monitoring Earth’s environment and improving our understanding of planetary interactions.

This discovery highlights how events on Earth can affect celestial bodies in ways we are only beginning to understand.