* Daytime (sunlit side): Temperatures can reach up to 127°C (261°F) due to the lack of atmosphere to retain heat.
* Nighttime (dark side): Temperatures plummet to around -173°C (-279°F) due to the absence of an atmosphere to trap heat.
Key points:
* No atmosphere: The Moon lacks a significant atmosphere, meaning there's no insulation to regulate temperatures. This leads to extreme temperature swings.
* Rotation: The Moon rotates slowly, meaning one side faces the sun for a long period (about 2 weeks), while the other side is in darkness for the same amount of time.
* Craters: The Moon's surface is covered with craters, some of which are permanently shadowed and remain extremely cold.
So, the Moon's temperature isn't a single value, but rather a vast range depending on the time of day (or lunar day) and location.
