The Moon Red Moon scatter away the blue/green light and let the red light go straight through. During a lunar eclipse, the Moon passes fully into the shadow by Fraser Cain of the Earth and it’s no longer being Most of the time, the Moon is a bright yellow illuminated by the Sun; however, this red light color; it’s reflecting light from the Sun. But passing through the Earth’s atmosphere does sometimes the Moon can turn a beautiful reach the Moon, and shines on it. dramatic red color. What’s going on? What causes a red moon? And that’s how we can get a red moon.
There are few situations that can cause a red moon. The most common way to see the Moon turn red is when the Moon is low in the sky, just after moonrise or before it’s about to set below the horizon. Just like the Sun, light from the Moon has to pass through a larger amount of atmosphere when it’s down near the horizon, compared to when it’s overhead. The Earth‘s atmosphere can scatter sunlight, and since moonlight is just scattered sunlight, it can scatter that too. Red light can pass through the atmosphere and not get scattered much, while light at the blue end of the spectrum is more easily scattered. When you see a red moon, you’re seeing the red light that wasn’t scattered, but the blue and green light have been scattered away. That’s why the Moon looks red. Craters On The Moon The second reason for a red moon is if there’s some kind of particle in the air. A forest fire or by John Carl Villanueva volcanic eruption can fill the air with tiny particles that partially obscure light from the The Earth is so close to the Moon and yet the Sun and Moon. Once again, these particles tend number of craters on the Moon are far more to scatter blue and green light away, while abundant. Have meteoroid and asteroid permitting red light to pass through more bombardments been selective? That is, have easily. When you see a red moon, high up in they been pounding the lunar surface but the sky, it’s probably because there’s a large somehow sparing Earth‘s? Not really. amount of dust in the air. Earth is definitely receiving its fair share of A third – and dramatic – way to get a red moon meteoroid and asteroid assaults. In fact, is during a lunar eclipse. During a lunar meteoroids rain nonstop on both the Earth and eclipse, the Moon passes behind the Earth‘s the moon every minute. However, our planet shadow, which darkens it. If you could take a is protected by its atmosphere. The moon, look at the Earth from inside its shadow, you unfortunately, doesn’t have one. would see that the atmosphere around the edge of the entire planet glows red. Once again, this When small meteoroids pass through the is because large amounts of atmosphere will atmosphere, friction causes them to ignite and
ART 8.1: The Moon Page 1 of 5 The Moon disintegrate; the larger ones simply explode. the Moon has any plate tectonic activity, it is The shooting stars and meteor showers that we believed that, if the Moon in fact has any such see are the more visible ones. Surely you didn’t activity, the Earth’s plate tectonic movement think meteoroids only struck at night, did you? is still far more active.
On the moon, even the tiniest meteoroids strike the surface unhindered, forming the smaller- sized craters on the moon. These tiny craters even leave marks on moon rocks and are easily spotted on the rock samples brought home by the Apollo missions.
The tiny craters on the Apollo moon rocks are among the most substantial evidence that the Apollo landings actually took place. You can’t hope to find rocks with the same features here on Earth.
So far, we’ve explained the presence of small craters on the Moon. How about the larger ones? The giant craters on the Moon were obviously formed by much larger astronomical objects, like asteroids or comets. Moon Landing Hoax Bombardments from comets or asteroids are not common – both on Earth and on the Moon. by John Carl Villanueva However, why do we see more of them on the Moon’s surface? The moon landing hoax is a conspiracy theory that gained prominence when Fox television The reason for this is because of the absence of featured a program titled “Conspiracy Theory: water (in liquid form) and climates on the lunar Did We Land on the Moon?” The idea was surface. These factors cause erosions, which that the landings were just productions a la subsequently conceal the evidence of such Hollywood films. We know better, and there major bombardments. It would be safe to say are numerous facts that back the real story. In that the large lunar craters fashioned by fact, many of them are adjudged authentic by asteroid and comet impacts were formed organizations outside NASA. millions of years ago. Nevertheless, the moon landing hoax theory is This is consistent with the theory that the an interesting one and we thought you’d want dinosaurs were wiped out by this kind of to hear about it. However, we’ve also included impact some 65 million years ago. While the rebuttals from scientists to make sure you evidence of such an impact, as well as even don’t go to bed believing it. older impacts, are well preserved on the Moon, the same thing cannot be said for the Earth. First point from the hoax believers – Why aren’t there stars in images showing the The Earth’s high plate tectonic activity is also astronauts walking on the Moon? The sky one major factor that has concealed large was dark but there were no stars. Shouldn’t craters. Although we are not yet sure whether
ART 8.1: The Moon Page 2 of 5 The Moon they have been very visible since the Moon doesn’t have clouds?
Expert photographers are quick to spot the reason here. You can’t see lights in the background if the foreground object is very bright. The astronauts suits, which were white, served as very good reflectors of light coming from the sun. Also, since the landings were shot under daylight, it would be difficult even for the naked eye to spot the stars.
Second point – Why are the footprints well preserved when in fact the lunar dust is Color of the Moon supposed to be very fine and devoid of moisture and strong gravity? by Fraser Cain
If the Moon‘s up, go take a look and see what Since the dust is silicate, they have the color it is. If you’re looking during the tendency to stick to gather together like that daylight, the Moon will look faint and white when in vacuum. The Mythbusters surrounded by the blue of the sky. If it’s night, demonstrated this phenomena in the episode the Moon will look bright yellow. Why does “NASA Moon Landing”. the color the Moon seem to change from white
to yellow when you go from day to night. And Third point – The American flag flapped as it why does the Moon look gray in many was planted … but there is no wind on the photographs, especially the ones from space? moon! What color is the Moon?
This can be explained by elementary physics. The photographs of the Moon, taken from Anything that is initially set into motion will space are the best true-color views of the readily continue moving if no external force Moon. That gray color you see comes from acts in the opposite direction. So when the the surface of the Moon which is mostly astronauts were on the act of planting the flag, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, calcium and they were able to set the flag into motion. aluminum. The lighter color rocks are usually Naturally, under the sole influence of a very plagioclase feldspar, while the darker rocks weak gravitational field, the flag appeared to are pyroxene. Most of the rocks that you can flap. see are volcanic, and were extruded from the
inside of the Moon during volcanic eruptions. There are still many observations that the Some rare rocks called olivine are actually conspiracy theorists have pointed out and all of green. them have been rebutted substantially. Among the best evidences that the astronauts were able The dark regions you see on the Moon are to bring home were the moon rocks. Studies called lunar maria, and they were formed by conducted by various academic and research ancient volcanic eruptions. They’re less institutions on them revealed that their reflective than the lunar highlands, and so they composition, characteristics and age are unlike appear darker to the eye. The maria cover those naturally found here on Earth. about 16% of the lunar surface, mostly on the
side we can see from Earth. Astronomers think the lunar maria were formed about 3-3.5
ART 8.1: The Moon Page 3 of 5 The Moon billion years ago, when the Moon was much Since the Earth’s Moon doesn’t have a more volcanically active. significant atmosphere, nothing can stop even the smallest meteoroids from striking its When you see the Moon from here on Earth, surface. As a result, the lunar surface is the atmosphere partially blocks your view. The heavily cratered. As a matter of fact, tiny particles in the atmosphere scatter certain craters are quite common even on lunar rocks. wavelengths of light, and permit other This was observed on the Moon rocks brought wavelengths to get through directly. When the home by the Apollo missions. Moon is low in the sky, you’re seeing its light go through the most atmosphere. Light on the By contrast, small meteoroids that pass blue end of the spectrum is scattered away, through the Earth’s atmosphere are easily while the red light isn’t scattered. This is why vaporized and hence are not able to form the Moon looks more red. As it goes higher in craters on the land below. the sky, the Moon is obscured by less and less atmosphere, so it turns more yellow – the same The absence of liquid water on its surface has thing happens to the Sun as it rises in the sky. allowed the Moon to preserve much of its ancient geological features. Here on Earth, During the day, the Moon has to compete with erosion can alter and cover formations over sunlight, which is also being scattered by the time. Plate tectonics, which is also absent on atmosphere, so it looks white. the Moon, is another big factor that makes the terrain of the two celestial bodies different.
Here on Earth, plate tectonics cause volcanic activities, earthquakes, and sea floor spreading.
Due to the lack of water and atmosphere, the lunar regolith (also called “lunar soil”) is noticeably dry and devoid of air. It also does not contain anything organic. The regolith comes from meteor impacts that has plagued the Moon since its inception.
Impact crater sizes on the lunar surface range from the tiny holes that mark lunar rocks to the really big ones like the South Pole Aitken Surface of the Moon Basin that has a diameter of approximately 2,500 km. Younger craters are superimposed by John Carl Villanueva over older ones. This characteristic is used by scientists to determine the relative ages of Despite the close proximity between the Earth impact craters. and the Moon, there’s a big difference between the surface of the Moon and of Earth‘s. Much Basically, it has been observed that the size of of the difference between the two celestial impact craters on the surface of the Moon bodies is caused by the absence of the have decreased over time. following attributes on the Moon: an atmosphere, bodies of water, and plate tectonics.
ART 8.1: The Moon Page 4 of 5 The Moon Other prominent geological features found on The term regolith is any layer of material the surface of the Moon include maria, rilles, covering solid rock. It can be dust, soil and domes, wrinkle ridges, and grabens. broken rock. Nearly the entire lunar surface is covered with regolith. Bedrock is only visible on the walls of very steep craters. The Moon regolith was formed over billions of years by constant meteorite impacts on the surface of the Moon. Scientists estimate that the lunar regolith extends down 4-5 meters in some places, and even as deep as 15 meters in the older highland areas.
You can also use the term “lunar soil” to describe the lunar regolith, but many argue that the term isn’t appropriate because the moon regolith doesn’t have any organic material in it at all.
When the plans were put together for the Apollo missions, when the first humans would
The maria, which comprise about one-third of walk on the surface of the Moon, some the Moon’s near side, are made up of flows of scientists were worried that the lunar regolith basaltic lava formed from volcanic activities was too light and powdery to support the that occurred in the younger years of the Moon. weight of the lunar lander. Instead of landing They were once mistaken for seas on the on the surface, they were worried that the surface of the Moon, hence the name. Maria is lander would just sink down into it like a the Latin word for seas. The near side refers to snowbank. Landings by robotic spacecraft the side of the Moon that is constantly facing showed that the lunar soil was firm enough to Earth. support a spacecraft, and the astronauts later explained that the surface of the Moon felt very firm.
Lunar Regolith As NASA is working on plans to send humans back to the Moon in the next decade, by Fraser Cain researchers are working to learn the best ways to work with the lunar regolith. Future When you’re walking in the forest, what’s that colonists could mine minerals and even stuff beneath your feet? Here on Earth, we call oxygen out of the lunar soil. Since real lunar it dirt, or soil. Take a look at dirt under the regolith is hard to come by, you can purchase microscope, and you’ll see a collection of lunar regolith simulant, made here on Earth. particles of rock, sand, little critters, and organic matter. The surface of the Moon is covered with a fine powdery material that you might want to call dirt. But that’s the wrong term. There’s no organic material on the surface of the Moon, and so scientists call it lunar regolith instead.
ART 8.1: The Moon Page 5 of 5 The Moon Name: ______Period: ______Question Answer 1. Why might the Moon appear red?
2. What does the atmosphere do to sunlight that makes the Moon appear red?
3. Why does the Moon appear red during a lunar eclipse?
4. Why are there more impact craters on the Moon than Earth?
5. When were the large craters on the Moon formed?
6. What happened to old impact craters on Earth?
7. Why are there no stars in the sky of pictures of astronauts on the Moon?
8. Why does the lunar soil preserve footprints so well?
9. Why did the flag appear to flap when there is no gravity on the Moon?
10. What is the best evidence
ART 7.1: The Moon The Moon Name: ______Period: ______that astronauts visited the Moon?
11. What produces the color of the Moon?
12. Most of the rocks on the Moon are of what type?
13. What are the dark regions on the Moon?
14. What two things make the surface of the Moon so different from that of Earth?
15. How common are craters on the Moon?
16. What produces lunar regolith?
17. How do scientists determine the relative ages of craters?
18. Over time, what has happened to the size of impact craters on the Moon?
19. Why do we not refer to lunar soil “dirt”?
ART 7.1: The Moon The Moon Name: ______Period: ______20. What is regolith?
ART 7.1: The Moon