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Study Reveals Moon's Shadowed Areas Have Less Water Than Expected

3/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

A study by the University of Hawaii using NASA's ShadowCam on South Korea's Danuri orbiter finds water is scarcer in the Moon's permanently shadowed regions than earlier believed.
The researchers conclude ice likely makes up less than 20–30% of material in most permanently shadowed regions.
The results challenge earlier beliefs about lunar water abundance and suggest ice accumulation occurs via cold trapping rather than direct deposition from asteroids.

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Story summary

A study by the University of Hawaii using NASA's ShadowCam on South Korea's Danuri orbiter finds water is scarcer in the Moon's permanently shadowed regions than earlier believed.
The researchers conclude ice likely makes up less than 20–30% of material in most permanently shadowed regions.
The results challenge earlier beliefs about lunar water abundance and suggest ice accumulation occurs via cold trapping rather than direct deposition from asteroids.