Too Hot, Too Cold

Abstract

The Moon does not have any atmosphere and the lunar day lasts two weeks in Earth days. Because of these two facts, solar radiation reaches the surface of the Moon unhindered, and during the two-week-long lunar day, the surface can heat up to well over 100 degrees Celsius. It is truly a desert under the most extreme conditions. In order to protect astronauts in such an environment, every space suit made is effectively an all-in-one, climate-controlled cabinet with a window to look through. It isn’t only the people who need the special protection of environmental control and life support systems, but also any objects brought to the Moon must be able to withstand the heat. Sensitive devices require extra care. This is especially true for the handheld cameras that are often the subject of skeptical questions, as they used to use very sensitive chemical films made of celluloid, which react poorly to high temperatures. The argument: The celluloid film used during the Moon landings would have melted at such high temperatures. Therefore, it would have been impossible to take pictures on the Moon.