The Moon Has Sunburns, Too, Due To The Solar Wind

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Sunburns are a typical thing that happens to people not only in the summer, but they are not the only one who can get them, as planets and natural satellites present them, too. If you take a look at the moon, you might see that it has different colors. The reason behind this might be a lunar version of sunburns due to the solar wind.

Unlike the Earth, according to a report from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the moon is not adequately protected against the sun’s solar wind, more precisely, from the constant release of particles and radiation. The lunar surface is exposed to damages from the sun because it lacks a shielding property.

Solar Wind Causes The Moon To Suffer Sunburns

The solar wind emissions from the Sun’s corona and goes into distinct directions. Because the temperatures of the corona are incredibly high, the gravity of the Sun can’t even get a grip of it.

The speed at which the solar wind travels is about 1 million miles per hour. It surges over the planets, the moons, and other materials in space filling up the heliosphere, all the way far beyond the orbit of Pluto.

The Difference Between Earth And The Moon

Earthlings might get worried when they hear about the solar wind because it seems to be an immensely damaging force. However, it is magnetized so, luckily, the Earth has a naturally existing magnetic field that envelopes it, so the planet is not affected because it diverts the direction of the solar wind away.

The condition of the moon in relation to the solar wind is another chapter of the story. Without further a due, the moon lacks a magnetic field to go around it. With that being said, the solar wind can get in contact with the lunar surface like you go to the supermarket and this way its coloration is different.

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