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Moon Space Science

Moon Shadows Frustrate Astronauts 32

Posted by samzenpus from the matter-of-fact-it's-all-dark dept.
saskboy writes "Apollo Chronicles by NASA talk about moon shadows and how they are much darker than daytime shadows on Earth. This is because there is almost no light reflected from atmosphere molecules or secondary light sources like "earthshine". "It is very easy to see in the shadows after you adapt for a while," noted Armstrong. But, added Aldrin, "continually moving back and forth from sunlight to shadow should be avoided because it's going to cost you some time in perception ability." Working on the moon even in the daylight might present unique problems not typically encountered on earth, if visual coordination in a shadow riddled area is required for a task. Audio of the NASA article is also available."
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Moon Shadows Frustrate Astronauts More

Moon Shadows Frustrate Astronauts

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  • If only there was a way of Harnessing Horizontal Moon Temperature Gradient.
  • Leaping and hopping
    • I'm being followed by a moon shadow
      Moon shadow moon shadow
      Leaping and hopping on a moon shadow
      Moon shadow moon shadow
      And if I ever lost my hands
      Lose my plough, lose my land
      Oh, if I ever lose my hands- Oh, if...
      I wont have to work no more
      And if I ever lose my eyes
      If my colours all run dry
      Yes if I ever lose my eyes,I won't have to cry no more.
      Yes, I'm being followed by a moon shadow
      Moon shadow moon shadow
      Leaping and hopping on a moonshadow
      Moon shadow moon shadow
      And if I ever lose my legs
      I won't moan and I won

  • Science Class (Score:5, Insightful)

    by MBCook ( 132727 ) <foobarsoft@foobarsoft.com> on Wednesday January 04, 2006 @09:11PM (#14397614) Homepage
    Why don't they ever tell you stuff like this in science class?

    This obviously isn't new, and there is no way it was classified.

    These are the kind of things that can help make science interesting. Being able to imagine what it is like on the moon, and interesting stories. That thing about they thought it was a 40 degree slope when it was a light trick and only 10. I would remember that. It would also go to show that science is fallible. No one thought of that before they got there. We still discover new things accidently. This kind of stuff can get kids interested in science.

    But instead, we teach them Boyle's Law and Newton's Three Laws. Both are important, but it seems like they taught that to me in middle school. And then later in middle school. Then in high school. Then in high school again. Then in college. And that is just in physics classes (it's in Math textbooks to be used as examples too). Now while I understand repeating it between middle school and college, and teaching it again in college based on Calculus to do more demanding/interesting problems, so much of the science classes I've had are just "memorize these things (again)." Interesting stories like this just don't get talked about.

    • It sounds like walking on the moon is a bit like running through a dark unlevel field with grass and a distant streetlight. It's not impossible, but you feel like you could trip any time since the shadow you see could be a rock hiding behind some grass, or a gopher hole. Walking away from the sun on the moon could be no fun at all...

  • Solution? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Sparr0 ( 451780 ) <sparr0@gmail.com> on Wednesday January 04, 2006 @09:47PM (#14397769) Homepage Journal
    For single-purpose activities this is just something to live with, but if there is going to be extended activity in the same area then why not hang white curtains around the work site? They should reflect back enough light to create earth-ish contrast shadows. Just have to knock down one side of the circle of curtains around sunrise/sunset.
    • The curtains might work nicely, depending on how reflective they are, but more importantly if they'll be able to stay reflective without attracting too much moon dust if static electricity comes into play. As long as they aren't dropped on the ground, or human activity doesn't stir up too much dust I suspect they'd retain their usefulness. The curtains couldn't or shouldn't be brought indoors if they become dusty, since moon dust is quite toxic due to its unweathered nature it causes sylicosis [quartz dus
    • I can picture the responses from conspiracy theorists already. "They lost the backdrop since the last mission", for example.
    • Or they could just light the work area.
      Or give the astronauts flashlights.

      Or not send people who are scared of shadows to begin with.
      • Or give the astronauts flashlights.

        How very Russian of you. :)

        In America we'll have a helmet with a built-in display. Automatic gain control and such.
    • "Whoa, neat! We have the site lit up, we can start construction now. Where are the tools?"
      "Right behind the courtain!"

  • Sing along with me (Score:4, Funny)

    by Claire-plus-plus ( 786407 ) on Wednesday January 04, 2006 @10:01PM (#14397831) Journal
    I'm being followed by a moon shadow Moon shadow moon shadow...
  • Moon Shadow (somebody had to say it!).
  • I guess its a good thing we A) Haven't been there since 1972, 34 years ago and B) Have no current plans of going back.

    I think we better fire up a gov. contract spending billions though on figuring out how to manage SHADOWS on the moon.

    • I think we better fire up a gov. contract spending billions though on figuring out how to manage SHADOWS on the moon.

      Flashlights.

      Where do I go to collect my government grant?
    • Well, we don't need a contract to do it, but some thought needs to be put into it. After all, China intends to set up a base on the Moon, so they'll need to deal with it, and if they go it's certainly possible that it'll renew interest in the U.S. going back too, in which case we'll need to deal with it too.

      Virg
  • Time to invest in a company that sells those little USB lights, illuminated keyboards, and all those other things we won't be able to do without if we have to work outdoors on the Moon. Because this is going to be a huge problem....

    In other news, Navy divers announced that it is quite cold and wet under the sea, coal miners reported that it is quite dark in coal mines, and doctors revealed that there are too many unhealthy people in hospitals.

  • "Parallel, curse you, you're meant to be parallel!"
  • Wouldn't something like those welding masks that automatically change the amount of light they cut out depending on how much there is work? Basically you make it so you're always in the same amount of shadow.

    I find the same problem when skiing - I'm guessing the high reflectivity of snow means the difference between sun and shadow is greater. It can be quite frightning skiing through shadows because you can't see a thing (you're wearing sunglasses, so even a mild shadow seems very dark).

    • Welders tell me that welding masks are basically very dark sunglasses. You can't see anything except the spark, and you do a lot of work by feel more than anything else.

      • Yes, so you reduce the extent they reduce the light by, but the important part was the fact that you can get light sensitive welding masks that only cut out light if it gets bright enough.

      • Re:Welding masks (Score:3, Informative)

        by drinkypoo ( 153816 )
        Welders lie to you. Or at least, they don't tell you the whole story. Now, presumably we're all talking about arc welding here. If you're doing gas welding then you probably have goggles with about shade 5 lenses. If you're doing arc, that's 9 or 10. For doing arc, you can get a hood with some sort of power source, and some sort of light sensor. They start out at a shade 5 and go up to shade 10 (or whatever is necessary) automatically when you weld. Thus, you get the best of both worlds - you can see what y

        • It's not that they lied, it's just that all the welders I know are rednecks that don't have the fancy gear, is all. :)

          • Well, they're silly, since you can get the "fancy gear" on ebay for about fifty bucks and then you can have eye protection AND see what the hell you're doing. Of course, they may not have computers, but they do know you...

  • How about? (Score:4, Funny)

    by chord.wav ( 599850 ) on Thursday January 05, 2006 @08:07AM (#14399409) Journal
    Having helmets with lights in the forehead?
    Every science fiction movie worth of mention has space suits with lights in their helmets
    • Having helmets with lights in the forehead?
      Every science fiction movie worth of mention has space suits with lights in their helmets

      I assume you mean *inside* the helmet. They do this to show the actors' faces better for human appeal. However, that would be pretty stupid in practice because the inside glow would reflect off of the visor, hair folicals, nose shine, etc. to make it impossible to see into dark shadows outside the helmet.

      But then again, I am used to Hollywood pissing on reality by now.
  • President Carter Announces Funding For NASA Space Shuttle Program!

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