A new report has unveiled that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were not limited to Earth but extended as far as the moon. While the global lockdowns caused by the pandemic led to cleaner air and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on Earth, they also caused an unexpected cooling of the moon’s surface.
According to a study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, lunar night-time surface temperatures showed an unusual drop during the Spring 2020 stay-at-home orders. Researchers analysed six different sites on the moon’s nearside from 2017 to 2023, identifying a noticeable dip in temperatures during April and May 2020.
This cooling effect occurred during the moon’s nighttime phase and was attributed to changes in solar radiation emitted from Earth. The study noted that while solar radiation affects the moon during its day, it also plays a role during lunar nighttime, which is when this cooling was observed. The significant reduction in human activity on Earth during the pandemic indirectly influenced the moon’s surface temperatures.
