Shocking discovery about the Earth's 'tail'

Not only does Earth possess an extremely long tail where the Sun cannot shine, it also uses it to transform another celestial body .

A new discovery by a group of scientists led by Dr. Shuai Li, School of Earth and Ocean Science and Technology - University of Hawaii (USA), may explain the long-standing mystery of signs of water on the Moon.

According to Space, the authors discovered that the Earth possesses a long and powerful plasma tail that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Water map on the Moon - (Photo: NATURE ASTRONOMY).

This tail comes from the planet's special "armor" that protects the atmosphere and all life from harsh cosmic radiation: the magnetosphere.

We have a raging parent star that constantly releases high energy in the form of solar wind. When the solar wind hits the magnetosphere, this magnetic shield deforms, creating a long magnetic tail on the night side of the planet.

Graphic depicting the Earth's "tail" - (Photo: NATURE ASTRONOMY).

As the moon orbits the Earth, it often passes through this tail. During these moments, the tiny satellite benefits from this magnetic field, which shields it from charged particles in space while still allowing light to reach its surface.

The rare moment of protection allowed the Moon to have time to form water reactions - something that happened on the early Earth thanks to the protection of the magnetosphere - because it was the harsh cosmic radiation that would have destroyed the elements that help water form on a celestial body.

The areas where the magnet tail swept through not only contained water pockets but were also carefully marked. These were traces of rust because the magnet tail carried oxygen, transforming the area it swept through.

The discovery provides important insights that will guide future missions by space agencies around the world who hope to land on the Moon where there is water. This precious water could be converted into fuel for rockets, spacecraft, and other living activities in the 'moon bases' that many space agencies are planning to build.