\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t9 Phenomena NASA Astronauts Will Encounter at Moon\u2019s South Pole\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"In](\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sp-astronaut.jpg?w=1240\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAn artist\u2019s rendering of an Artemis astronaut working on the Moon\u2019s surface.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCredits: <\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Artemis campaign will send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon\u2019s south polar region, marking humanity\u2019s first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years.<\/p>\n
Here are some out-of-this-world phenomena Artemis astronauts will experience:<\/p>\n
1. A Hovering Sun and Giant Shadows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>This visualization shows the motions of Earth and the Sun as viewed from the South Pole of the Moon.
NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNear the Moon\u2019s South Pole, astronauts will see dramatic shadows that are 25 to 50 times longer than the objects casting them. Why? Because the Sun strikes the surface there at a low angle, hanging just a few degrees above the horizon. As a result, astronauts won\u2019t see the Sun rise and set. Instead, they\u2019ll watch it hover near the horizon as it moves horizontally across the sky. <\/p>\n
\n
2. Sticky, Razor-Sharp Dust \u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/regolith-grain.png?w=1261\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nThis dust particle came from a lunar regolith sample brought to Earth in 1969 by Apollo 11 astronauts. The particle is about 25 microns across, less than the width of an average human hair. The image was taken with a scanning electron microscope. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe lunar dust, called regolith, that coats the Moon\u2019s surface looks fine and soft like baking powder. But looks can be deceiving. Lunar regolith is formed when meteoroids hit the Moon\u2019s surface, melting and shattering rocks into tiny, sharp pieces. The Moon doesn\u2019t have moving water or wind to smooth out the regolith grains, so they stay sharp and scratchy, posing a risk to astronauts and their equipment.<\/p>\n
\n
3. \u2026 That\u2019s Charged with Static Electricity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/eugene-cernan.webp?w=1041\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nAstronaut Eugene Cernan, commander of Apollo 17, inside the lunar module on the Moon after his second moonwalk of the mission in 1972. His spacesuit and face are covered in lunar dust. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBecause the Moon has no atmosphere to speak of, its surface is exposed to plasma and radiation from the Sun. As a result, static electricity builds up on the surface, as it does when you shuffle your feet against a carpeted floor. When you then touch something, you transfer that charge via a small shock. On the Moon, this transfer can short-circuit electronics. Moon dust also can make its way into astronaut living quarters, as the static electricity causes it to easily stick to spacesuits. NASA has developed methods to keep the dust at bay using resistant textiles, filters, and a shield that employs an electric field to remove dust from surfaces.<\/p>\n
\n
4. A New Sense of Lightness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>In 1972, Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke hammered a core tube into the Moon\u2019s surface until it met a rock and wouldn\u2019t go any farther. Then the hammer flew from his hand. He made four attempts to pick it up by bending down and leaning to reach for it. He gave up and returned to the rover to get tongs to finally pick up the hammer successfully.
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nArtemis moonwalkers will have a bounce to their step as they traverse the lunar surface. This is because gravity won\u2019t pull them down as forcefully as it does on Earth. The Moon is only a quarter of Earth\u2019s size, with six times less gravity. Simple activities, like swinging a rock hammer to chip off samples, will feel different. While a hammer will feel lighter to hold, its inertia won\u2019t change, leading to a strange sensation for astronauts. Lower gravity has perks, too. Astronauts won\u2019t be weighed down by their hefty spacesuits as much as they would be on Earth. Plus, bouncing on the Moon is just plain fun.<\/p>\n
\n
5. A Waxing Crescent \u2026 Earth?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/moon-phases.gif?w=1600\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nThis animated image features a person holding a stick with a sphere on top that represents the Moon. The person is demonstrating an activity that helps people learn about the phases of the Moon by acting them out. <\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Artemis astronauts look at the sky from the Moon, they\u2019ll see their home planet shining back at them. Just like Earthlings see different phases of the Moon throughout a month, astronauts will see an ever-shifting Earth. Earth phases occur opposite to Moon phases: When Earth experiences a new Moon, a full Earth is visible from the Moon.<\/p>\n
\n
6. An Itty-Bitty Horizon\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign will send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon\u2019s south polar region, marking humanity\u2019s first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years.<\/p>\n
Here are some out-of-this-world phenomena Artemis astronauts will experience:<\/p>\n
1. A Hovering Sun and Giant Shadows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>This visualization shows the motions of Earth and the Sun as viewed from the South Pole of the Moon.
NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNear the Moon\u2019s South Pole, astronauts will see dramatic shadows that are 25 to 50 times longer than the objects casting them. Why? Because the Sun strikes the surface there at a low angle, hanging just a few degrees above the horizon. As a result, astronauts won\u2019t see the Sun rise and set. Instead, they\u2019ll watch it hover near the horizon as it moves horizontally across the sky. <\/p>\n
\n
2. Sticky, Razor-Sharp Dust \u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nThis dust particle came from a lunar regolith sample brought to Earth in 1969 by Apollo 11 astronauts. The particle is about 25 microns across, less than the width of an average human hair. The image was taken with a scanning electron microscope. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe lunar dust, called regolith, that coats the Moon\u2019s surface looks fine and soft like baking powder. But looks can be deceiving. Lunar regolith is formed when meteoroids hit the Moon\u2019s surface, melting and shattering rocks into tiny, sharp pieces. The Moon doesn\u2019t have moving water or wind to smooth out the regolith grains, so they stay sharp and scratchy, posing a risk to astronauts and their equipment.<\/p>\n
\n
3. \u2026 That\u2019s Charged with Static Electricity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nAstronaut Eugene Cernan, commander of Apollo 17, inside the lunar module on the Moon after his second moonwalk of the mission in 1972. His spacesuit and face are covered in lunar dust. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBecause the Moon has no atmosphere to speak of, its surface is exposed to plasma and radiation from the Sun. As a result, static electricity builds up on the surface, as it does when you shuffle your feet against a carpeted floor. When you then touch something, you transfer that charge via a small shock. On the Moon, this transfer can short-circuit electronics. Moon dust also can make its way into astronaut living quarters, as the static electricity causes it to easily stick to spacesuits. NASA has developed methods to keep the dust at bay using resistant textiles, filters, and a shield that employs an electric field to remove dust from surfaces.<\/p>\n
\n
4. A New Sense of Lightness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>In 1972, Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke hammered a core tube into the Moon\u2019s surface until it met a rock and wouldn\u2019t go any farther. Then the hammer flew from his hand. He made four attempts to pick it up by bending down and leaning to reach for it. He gave up and returned to the rover to get tongs to finally pick up the hammer successfully.
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nArtemis moonwalkers will have a bounce to their step as they traverse the lunar surface. This is because gravity won\u2019t pull them down as forcefully as it does on Earth. The Moon is only a quarter of Earth\u2019s size, with six times less gravity. Simple activities, like swinging a rock hammer to chip off samples, will feel different. While a hammer will feel lighter to hold, its inertia won\u2019t change, leading to a strange sensation for astronauts. Lower gravity has perks, too. Astronauts won\u2019t be weighed down by their hefty spacesuits as much as they would be on Earth. Plus, bouncing on the Moon is just plain fun.<\/p>\n
\n
5. A Waxing Crescent \u2026 Earth?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nThis animated image features a person holding a stick with a sphere on top that represents the Moon. The person is demonstrating an activity that helps people learn about the phases of the Moon by acting them out. <\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Artemis astronauts look at the sky from the Moon, they\u2019ll see their home planet shining back at them. Just like Earthlings see different phases of the Moon throughout a month, astronauts will see an ever-shifting Earth. Earth phases occur opposite to Moon phases: When Earth experiences a new Moon, a full Earth is visible from the Moon.<\/p>\n
\n
6. An Itty-Bitty Horizon\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Near the Moon\u2019s South Pole, astronauts will see dramatic shadows that are 25 to 50 times longer than the objects casting them. Why? Because the Sun strikes the surface there at a low angle, hanging just a few degrees above the horizon. As a result, astronauts won\u2019t see the Sun rise and set. Instead, they\u2019ll watch it hover near the horizon as it moves horizontally across the sky. <\/p>\n
\n
2. Sticky, Razor-Sharp Dust \u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nThis dust particle came from a lunar regolith sample brought to Earth in 1969 by Apollo 11 astronauts. The particle is about 25 microns across, less than the width of an average human hair. The image was taken with a scanning electron microscope. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe lunar dust, called regolith, that coats the Moon\u2019s surface looks fine and soft like baking powder. But looks can be deceiving. Lunar regolith is formed when meteoroids hit the Moon\u2019s surface, melting and shattering rocks into tiny, sharp pieces. The Moon doesn\u2019t have moving water or wind to smooth out the regolith grains, so they stay sharp and scratchy, posing a risk to astronauts and their equipment.<\/p>\n
\n
3. \u2026 That\u2019s Charged with Static Electricity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nAstronaut Eugene Cernan, commander of Apollo 17, inside the lunar module on the Moon after his second moonwalk of the mission in 1972. His spacesuit and face are covered in lunar dust. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBecause the Moon has no atmosphere to speak of, its surface is exposed to plasma and radiation from the Sun. As a result, static electricity builds up on the surface, as it does when you shuffle your feet against a carpeted floor. When you then touch something, you transfer that charge via a small shock. On the Moon, this transfer can short-circuit electronics. Moon dust also can make its way into astronaut living quarters, as the static electricity causes it to easily stick to spacesuits. NASA has developed methods to keep the dust at bay using resistant textiles, filters, and a shield that employs an electric field to remove dust from surfaces.<\/p>\n
\n
4. A New Sense of Lightness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>In 1972, Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke hammered a core tube into the Moon\u2019s surface until it met a rock and wouldn\u2019t go any farther. Then the hammer flew from his hand. He made four attempts to pick it up by bending down and leaning to reach for it. He gave up and returned to the rover to get tongs to finally pick up the hammer successfully.
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nArtemis moonwalkers will have a bounce to their step as they traverse the lunar surface. This is because gravity won\u2019t pull them down as forcefully as it does on Earth. The Moon is only a quarter of Earth\u2019s size, with six times less gravity. Simple activities, like swinging a rock hammer to chip off samples, will feel different. While a hammer will feel lighter to hold, its inertia won\u2019t change, leading to a strange sensation for astronauts. Lower gravity has perks, too. Astronauts won\u2019t be weighed down by their hefty spacesuits as much as they would be on Earth. Plus, bouncing on the Moon is just plain fun.<\/p>\n
\n
5. A Waxing Crescent \u2026 Earth?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nThis animated image features a person holding a stick with a sphere on top that represents the Moon. The person is demonstrating an activity that helps people learn about the phases of the Moon by acting them out. <\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Artemis astronauts look at the sky from the Moon, they\u2019ll see their home planet shining back at them. Just like Earthlings see different phases of the Moon throughout a month, astronauts will see an ever-shifting Earth. Earth phases occur opposite to Moon phases: When Earth experiences a new Moon, a full Earth is visible from the Moon.<\/p>\n
\n
6. An Itty-Bitty Horizon\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/regolith-grain.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>The lunar dust, called regolith, that coats the Moon\u2019s surface looks fine and soft like baking powder. But looks can be deceiving. Lunar regolith is formed when meteoroids hit the Moon\u2019s surface, melting and shattering rocks into tiny, sharp pieces. The Moon doesn\u2019t have moving water or wind to smooth out the regolith grains, so they stay sharp and scratchy, posing a risk to astronauts and their equipment.<\/p>\n
\n
3. \u2026 That\u2019s Charged with Static Electricity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nAstronaut Eugene Cernan, commander of Apollo 17, inside the lunar module on the Moon after his second moonwalk of the mission in 1972. His spacesuit and face are covered in lunar dust. <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBecause the Moon has no atmosphere to speak of, its surface is exposed to plasma and radiation from the Sun. As a result, static electricity builds up on the surface, as it does when you shuffle your feet against a carpeted floor. When you then touch something, you transfer that charge via a small shock. On the Moon, this transfer can short-circuit electronics. Moon dust also can make its way into astronaut living quarters, as the static electricity causes it to easily stick to spacesuits. NASA has developed methods to keep the dust at bay using resistant textiles, filters, and a shield that employs an electric field to remove dust from surfaces.<\/p>\n
\n
4. A New Sense of Lightness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>In 1972, Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke hammered a core tube into the Moon\u2019s surface until it met a rock and wouldn\u2019t go any farther. Then the hammer flew from his hand. He made four attempts to pick it up by bending down and leaning to reach for it. He gave up and returned to the rover to get tongs to finally pick up the hammer successfully.
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nArtemis moonwalkers will have a bounce to their step as they traverse the lunar surface. This is because gravity won\u2019t pull them down as forcefully as it does on Earth. The Moon is only a quarter of Earth\u2019s size, with six times less gravity. Simple activities, like swinging a rock hammer to chip off samples, will feel different. While a hammer will feel lighter to hold, its inertia won\u2019t change, leading to a strange sensation for astronauts. Lower gravity has perks, too. Astronauts won\u2019t be weighed down by their hefty spacesuits as much as they would be on Earth. Plus, bouncing on the Moon is just plain fun.<\/p>\n
\n
5. A Waxing Crescent \u2026 Earth?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nThis animated image features a person holding a stick with a sphere on top that represents the Moon. The person is demonstrating an activity that helps people learn about the phases of the Moon by acting them out. <\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Artemis astronauts look at the sky from the Moon, they\u2019ll see their home planet shining back at them. Just like Earthlings see different phases of the Moon throughout a month, astronauts will see an ever-shifting Earth. Earth phases occur opposite to Moon phases: When Earth experiences a new Moon, a full Earth is visible from the Moon.<\/p>\n
\n
6. An Itty-Bitty Horizon\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>Because the Moon has no atmosphere to speak of, its surface is exposed to plasma and radiation from the Sun. As a result, static electricity builds up on the surface, as it does when you shuffle your feet against a carpeted floor. When you then touch something, you transfer that charge via a small shock. On the Moon, this transfer can short-circuit electronics. Moon dust also can make its way into astronaut living quarters, as the static electricity causes it to easily stick to spacesuits. NASA has developed methods to keep the dust at bay using resistant textiles, filters, and a shield that employs an electric field to remove dust from surfaces.<\/p>\n
\n
4. A New Sense of Lightness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>In 1972, Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke hammered a core tube into the Moon\u2019s surface until it met a rock and wouldn\u2019t go any farther. Then the hammer flew from his hand. He made four attempts to pick it up by bending down and leaning to reach for it. He gave up and returned to the rover to get tongs to finally pick up the hammer successfully.
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nArtemis moonwalkers will have a bounce to their step as they traverse the lunar surface. This is because gravity won\u2019t pull them down as forcefully as it does on Earth. The Moon is only a quarter of Earth\u2019s size, with six times less gravity. Simple activities, like swinging a rock hammer to chip off samples, will feel different. While a hammer will feel lighter to hold, its inertia won\u2019t change, leading to a strange sensation for astronauts. Lower gravity has perks, too. Astronauts won\u2019t be weighed down by their hefty spacesuits as much as they would be on Earth. Plus, bouncing on the Moon is just plain fun.<\/p>\n
\n
5. A Waxing Crescent \u2026 Earth?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nThis animated image features a person holding a stick with a sphere on top that represents the Moon. The person is demonstrating an activity that helps people learn about the phases of the Moon by acting them out. <\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Artemis astronauts look at the sky from the Moon, they\u2019ll see their home planet shining back at them. Just like Earthlings see different phases of the Moon throughout a month, astronauts will see an ever-shifting Earth. Earth phases occur opposite to Moon phases: When Earth experiences a new Moon, a full Earth is visible from the Moon.<\/p>\n
\n
6. An Itty-Bitty Horizon\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Artemis moonwalkers will have a bounce to their step as they traverse the lunar surface. This is because gravity won\u2019t pull them down as forcefully as it does on Earth. The Moon is only a quarter of Earth\u2019s size, with six times less gravity. Simple activities, like swinging a rock hammer to chip off samples, will feel different. While a hammer will feel lighter to hold, its inertia won\u2019t change, leading to a strange sensation for astronauts. Lower gravity has perks, too. Astronauts won\u2019t be weighed down by their hefty spacesuits as much as they would be on Earth. Plus, bouncing on the Moon is just plain fun.<\/p>\n
\n
5. A Waxing Crescent \u2026 Earth?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nThis animated image features a person holding a stick with a sphere on top that represents the Moon. The person is demonstrating an activity that helps people learn about the phases of the Moon by acting them out. <\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Artemis astronauts look at the sky from the Moon, they\u2019ll see their home planet shining back at them. Just like Earthlings see different phases of the Moon throughout a month, astronauts will see an ever-shifting Earth. Earth phases occur opposite to Moon phases: When Earth experiences a new Moon, a full Earth is visible from the Moon.<\/p>\n
\n
6. An Itty-Bitty Horizon\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>When Artemis astronauts look at the sky from the Moon, they\u2019ll see their home planet shining back at them. Just like Earthlings see different phases of the Moon throughout a month, astronauts will see an ever-shifting Earth. Earth phases occur opposite to Moon phases: When Earth experiences a new Moon, a full Earth is visible from the Moon.<\/p>\n
\n