Scientists led by UCLA found that permanently shaded parts of pits on the Moon stay near a constant 17°C while the exposed surface swings between 127°C and −173°C — meaning humanity's first permanent lunar address may be underground.

Scientists led by UCLA found that permanently shaded parts of pits on the Moon stay near a constant 17°C while the exposed surface swings between 127°C and −173°C — meaning humanity's first permanent lunar address may be underground.

The Moon’s surface imposes a slow, punishing thermal cycle. A location in sunlight can reach about 127 degrees Celsius during a lunar day that lasts roughly two Earth weeks. Through the equally long night, exposed ground can fall to about minus 173 degrees. Deep shadow changes that calculation. A team led by UCLA planetary scientist Tyler Horvath found that protected parts of certain lunar pits remain close to 17 degrees Celsius, with only small…