The feasibility of direct measurement of temperature in shock‐loaded solids was checked in a series of planar impact experiments using commercial nickel gauges embedded in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) targets. The technique is based on recording and analyzing the resistance changes of the shocked gauge, which result from heat conduction from the surrounding specimen into the gauge. Results are presented which show good agreement between experimental and calculated values obtained by using a one‐dimensional heat‐conduction program. We also give results of residual temperature measurements, obtained by the same technique, of shocked PMMA samples after release to zero stress.