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Science/Tech
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Title: STRANGE MOON FACTS
Source: [None]
URL Source: http://www.informantnews.com/starshipgamma/lunar/moon2.html
Published: May 5, 2009
Author: Ronald Regehr
Post Date: 2009-05-05 11:45:16 by gengis gandhi
Keywords: None
Views: 424
Comments: 25

STRANGE MOON FACTS

Compiled by Ronald Regehr, the Alien Chaser

The moon is the Rosetta stone of the planets." —Robert Jastrow, First Chairman, NASA Lunar Exploration Committee

After hundreds of years of detailed observation and study, our closest companion in the vast universe, Earth’s moon, remains an enigma. Six moon landings and hundreds of experiments have resulted in more questions being asked than answered. Among them:

1. Moon’s Age: The moon is far older than previously expected. Maybe even older than the Earth or the Sun. The oldest age for the Earth is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old; moon rocks were dated at 5.3 billion years old, and the dust upon which they were resting was at least another billion years older.

2. Rock’s Origin: The chemical composition of the dust upon which the rocks sat differed remarkably from the rocks themselves, contrary to accepted theories that the dust resulted from weathering and breakup of the rocks themselves. The rocks had to have come from somewhere else.

3. Heavier Elements on Surface: Normal planetary composition results in heavier elements in the core and lighter materials at the surface; not so with the moon. According to Wilson, "The abundance of refractory elements like titanium in the surface areas is so pronounced that several geologists proposed the refractory compounds were brought to the moon’s surface in great quantity in some unknown way. They don’t know how, but that it was done cannot be questioned." (Emphasis added).

4. Water Vapor: On March 7, 1971, lunar instruments placed by the astronauts recorded a vapor cloud of water passing across the surface of the moon. The cloud lasted 14 hours and covered an area of about 100 square miles.

5. Magnetic Rocks: Moon rocks were magnetized. This is odd because there is no magnetic field on the moon itself. This could not have originated from a "close call" with Earth—such an encounter would have ripped the moon apart.

6. No Volcanoes: Some of the moon’s craters originated internally, yet there is no indication that the moon was ever hot enough to produce volcanic eruptions.

7. Moon Mascons: Mascons, which are large, dense, circular masses lying twenty to forty miles beneath the centers of the moon’s maria, "are broad, disk-shaped objects that could be possibly some kind of artificial construction. For huge circular disks are not likely to be beneath each huge maria, centered like bull’s-eyes in the middle of each, by coincidence or accident." (Emphasis added).

8. Seismic Activity: Hundreds of "moonquakes" are recorded each year that cannot be attributed to meteor strikes. In November, 1958, Soviet astronomer Nikolay A. Kozyrev of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory photographed a gaseous eruption of the moon near the crater Alphonsus. He also detected a reddish glow that lasted for about an hour. In 1963, astronomers at the Lowell Observatory also saw reddish glows on the crests of ridges in the Aristarchus region. These observations have proved to be precisely identical and periodical, repeating themselves as the moon moves closer to the Earth. These are probably not natural phenomena.

9. Hollow Moon: The moon’s mean density is 3.34 gm/cm3 (3.34 times an equal volume of water) whereas the Earth’s is 5.5. What does this mean? In 1962, NASA scientist Dr. Gordon MacDonald stated, "If the astronomical data are reduced, it is found that the data require that the interior of the moon is more like a hollow than a homogeneous sphere." Nobel chemist Dr. Harold Urey suggested the moon’s reduced density is because of large areas inside the moon where is "simply a cavity." MIT’s Dr. Sean C. Solomon wrote, "the Lunar Orbiter experiments vastly improved our knowledge of the moon’s gravitational field . . . indicating the frightening possibility that the moon might be hollow." In Carl Sagan’s treatise, Intelligent Life in the Universe, the famous astronomer stated, "A natural satellite cannot be a hollow object."

10. Moon Echoes: On November 20, 1969, the Apollo 12 crew jettisoned the lunar module ascent stage causing it to crash onto the moon. The LM’s impact (about 40 miles from the Apollo 12 landing site) created an artificial moonquake with startling characteristics—the moon reverberated like a bell for more than an hour. This phenomenon was repeated with Apollo 13 (intentionally commanding the third stage to impact the moon), with even more startling results. Seismic instruments recorded that the reverberations lasted for three hours and twenty minutes and traveled to a depth of twenty-five miles, leading to the conclusion that the moon has an unusually light—or even no—core.

11. Unusual Metals: The moon’s crust is much harder than presumed. Remember the extreme difficulty the astronauts encountered when they tried to drill into the maria? Surprise! The maria is composed primarily illeminite, a mineral containing large amounts of titanium, the same metal used to fabricate the hulls of deep-diving submarines and the skin of the SR-71 "Blackbird". Uranium 236 and neptunium 237 (elements not found in nature on Earth) were discovered in lunar rocks, as were rustproof iron particles.

12. Moon’s Origin: Before the astronauts’ moon rocks conclusively disproved the theory, the moon was believed to have originated when a chunk of Earth broke off eons ago (who knows from where?). Another theory was that the moon was created from leftover "space dust" remaining after the Earth was created. Analysis of the composition of moon rocks disproved this theory also. Another popular theory is that the moon was somehow "captured" by the Earth’s gravitational attraction. But no evidence exists to support this theory. Isaac Asimov, stated, "It’s too big to have been captured by the Earth. The chances of such a capture having been effected and the moon then having taken up nearly circular orbit around our Earth are too small to make such an eventuality credible."

13. Weird Orbit: Our moon is the only moon in the solar system that has a stationary, near-perfect circular orbit. Stranger still, the moon’s center of mass is about 6000 feet closer to the Earth than its geometric center (which should cause wobbling), but the moon’s bulge is on the far side of the moon, away from the Earth. "Something" had to put the moon in orbit with its precise altitude, course, and speed.

14. Moon Diameter: How does one explain the "coincidence" that the moon is just the right distance, coupled with just the right diameter, to completely cover the sun during an eclipse? Again, Isaac Asimov responds, "There is no astronomical reason why the moon and the sun should fit so well. It is the sheerest of coincidences, and only the Earth among all the planets is blessed in this fashion."

15. Spaceship Moon: As outrageous as the Moon-Is-a-Spaceship Theory is, all of the above items are resolved if one assumes that the moon is a gigantic extraterrestrial craft, brought here eons ago by intelligent beings. This is the only theory that is supported by all of the data, and there are no data that contradict this theory.

Greek authors Aristotle and Plutarch, and Roman authors Apolllonius Rhodius and Ovid all wrote of a group of people called the Proselenes who lived in the central mountainous area of Greece called Arcadia The Proselenes claimed title to this area because their forebears were there "before there was a moon in the heavens." This claim is substantiated by symbols on the wall of the Courtyard of Kalasasaya, near the city of Tiahuanaco, Bolivia, which record that the moon came into orbit around the Earth between 11,500 and 13, 000 years ago, long before recorded history.

1. Ages of Flashes: Aristarchus, Plato, Eratosthenes, Biela, Rabbi Levi, and Posidonius all reported anomalous lights on the moon. NASA, one year before the first lunar landing, reported 570+ lights and flashes were observed on the moon from 1540 to 1967.

2. Operation Moon Blink: NASA’s Operation Moon Blink detected 28 lunar events in a relatively short period of time.

3. Lunar Bridge: On July 29, 1953, John J. O’Neill observed a 12-mile-long bridge straddling the crater Mare Crisium. In August, British astronomer Dr. H.P. Wilkens verified its presence, "It looks artificial. It’s almost incredible that such a thing could have been formed in the first instance, or if it was formed, could have lasted during the ages in which the moon has been in existence.

4. The Shard: The Shard, an obelisk-shaped object that towers 1½ miles from the Ukert area of the moon’s surface, was discovered by Orbiter 3 in 1968. Dr. Bruce Cornet, who studied the amazing photographs, stated, "No known natural process can explain such a structure."

5. The Tower: One of the most curious features ever photographed on the Lunar surface (Lunar Orbiter photograph III-84M) is an amazing spire that rises more than 5 miles from the Sinus Medii region of the lunar surface.

6. The Obelisks: Lunar Orbiter II took several photographs in November 1966 that showed several obelisks, one of which was more than 150 feet tall. ". . . the spires were arranged in precisely the same was as the apices of the three great pyramids."

Don Ecker, Long Saga of Lunar Anomalies, UFO magazine, Vol. 10, Nol 2 (March/April 1995), p. 23. Six Mysterious Statuesque Shadows Photographed on the Moon by Orbiter, The Washington Post, Nov. 22, 1966, p. 1.

http://www.informantnews.com/starshipgamma/lunar/moon2.html

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#1. To: gengis gandhi (#0)

Okay, here we go!

"That's no moon, that's a battle station!"

echo5sierra  posted on  2009-05-05   12:12:46 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: gengis gandhi (#0)

1. Moon’s Age: The moon is far older than previously expected. Maybe even older than the Earth or the Sun. The oldest age for the Earth is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old; moon rocks were dated at 5.3 billion years old, and the dust upon which they were resting was at least another billion years older.

Well I'm going to call bullshit just on the first one.


"Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. If you control carbon, you control life." — Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT Professor of Meteorology

farmfriend  posted on  2009-05-05   12:28:19 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: gengis gandhi (#0)

5. Magnetic Rocks: Moon rocks were magnetized. This is odd because there is no magnetic field on the moon itself. This could not have originated from a "close call" with Earth—such an encounter would have ripped the moon apart.

6. No Volcanoes: Some of the moon’s craters originated internally, yet there is no indication that the moon was ever hot enough to produce volcanic eruptions.

Ok now this is getting funny.


"Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. If you control carbon, you control life." — Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT Professor of Meteorology

farmfriend  posted on  2009-05-05   12:30:15 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#4. To: gengis gandhi (#0)

This is scary.

We need to destroy the Moon before it destroys us.

TooConservative  posted on  2009-05-05   12:51:26 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#5. To: TooConservative, gengis gandhi (#4)

This is scary.

We need to destroy the Moon before it destroys us.

I know you are being sarcastic but getting rid of the moon really would destroy us. It keeps the Earth from wobbling too much. Lose the moon and we wobble ourselves to death.


"Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. If you control carbon, you control life." — Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT Professor of Meteorology

farmfriend  posted on  2009-05-05   12:53:47 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#6. To: echo5sierra (#1)

"That's no moon, that's a battle station!"

I knew those damned aliens had to live close by.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

IndieTX  posted on  2009-05-05   15:27:05 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#7. To: gengis gandhi (#0)

3. Lunar Bridge:

Well, this has been discounted: http://www.lunaranomalies.com/bridge.htm

A "wacko" website provides evidence that the "lunar bridge" is an optical anomoly.

Imagine that.

I am _NOT_ saying that any thing else in this post is in error.

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. - Henry Louis Mencken

rack42  posted on  2009-05-05   21:56:02 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#8. To: rack42 (#7)

Ok, let us take a look at the Moon. :-)

1) How was it formed 2) What is it made of 3) How far away is it

These are some of the questions that we can begin to answer.

1) How was the Moon formed?

There were at least five major ideas that were proposed as to the formation of the Moon.

Fission – The Moon split off from the Earth. Capture – The Moon was captured by the gravity of the Earth. Condensation – The Moon coalesced out of the same “stuff” the Earth did. Colliding Planetesimals – Formed from colliding Planetesimals during the early formation of the solar system. Collision – A body collided with the Earth causing a piece of the Earth’s crust to form the Moon from a resultant ring produced by that collision

First, the Moon does not have an iron core. This pretty much rules out that it coalesced from the same cloud of debris that the Earth did. Second, throughout the solar system, the oxygen isotopes have been found to be different. If the Moon were captured, it too would not match the Earth’s oxygen isotope ratio (which it does). Fourth, by looking at the angular momentum and energy required, the theory that the Moon spun off the Earth after the Earth formed does not hold up.

This leaves us with the Collision theory as the best model we have for the formation of the Moon. The resultant collision caused a ring of debris from the Earths crust to form outside the Roche limit. If it had not, tidal forces would have not allowed for the Moon we see today.

A more in depth discussion of tidal locking since the Moon is tidal locked to the Earth. The reason the Moon keeps one face to the Earth (Its rotation on its axis matches the period of its orbit) is it is tidally locked to the Earth. Here is a more in depth explanation. The total angular momentum of the earth moon system, which is spin angular momentum plus the orbital angular momentum, is constant. (The Sun plays apart also) Friction of the oceans caused by the tides is causing the Earth to slow down a tiny bit each year. This is approximately two milliseconds per century causing the moon to recede by about 3.7 centimeters per year. As the Earth slows down, the Moon must recede to keep the total angular momentum a constant. In other words as the spin angular momentum of the earth decreases, the lunar orbital angular momentum must increase. Here is an interesting side note. The velocity of the moon will slow down as the orbit increases.

Another example of tidal locking is the orbit period and rotation of the planet Mercury. What is interesting about this one is that instead of a 1:1 synchronization where Mercury would keep one face to the Sun at all times, it is actually in a 2/3:1 synchronization. This is due to the High eccentricity of its orbit.

There also can be more than one body “locked” to each other. Lets take a look at the moon Io. Io is very nearly the same size as the Earth’s moon. It is approximately 1.04 times the size of the moon. There is a resonance between Io, Ganymede, and Europa. Io completes four revolutions for every one of Ganymede and two of Europa. This is due to a Laplace Resonance phenomenon. A Laplace Resonance is when more than two bodies are forced into a minimum energy configuration.

There are also examples of tidal locking in the asteroid belt.

First, the asteroid belt has an estimated total combined mass of less than 1 tenth of the Earth's moon. Second, Jupiter has a profound effect on the asteroid belt.

Since Jupiter has a semimajor axis of 5.2 AU (I AU is the distance from the Sun to the Earth) it ends up with an orbital period of 11.86 years. Since the asteroids are not all at the same distance from the sun, there orbital periods will differ in a direct relationship to their distance from the sun. This will result in some of them having an orbital period of one half of Jupiter. This puts those particular asteroids in a 2:1 orbital resonance with Jupiter. The result of this resonance is gaps called Kirkwood's gaps

The rub is why did not this asteroid belt form a small planet? The reason is the gravitational force of Jupiter. It perturbs the asteroids giving them random velocities relative to each other.

Another effect of both Jupiter and the Sun on the asteroid belt is a group of asteroids that both precede and follow Jupiter in its orbit by 60 degrees. These asteroids are known as theTrojans.

2) What is the Moon made of?

From here:

http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/science/geochem.htm

http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/science/geochem.htm

“Primary elements: The lunar crust is composed of a variety of primary elements, including uranium, thorium, potassium, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, titanium, calcium, aluminum and hydrogen. When bombarded by cosmic rays, each element bounces back into space its own radiation, in the form of gamma rays. Some elements, such as uranium, thorium and potassium, are radioactive and emit gamma rays on their own. However, regardless of what causes them, gamma rays for each element are all different from one another -- each produces a unique spectral "signature," detectable by an instrument called a spectrometer. A complete global mapping of the Moon for the abundance of these elements has never been performed.

Hydrogen and helium: Because its surface is not protected by an atmosphere, the Moon is constantly exposed to the solar wind, which carries both hydrogen and helium -- each potentially very valuable resources. One natural variant of helium, [3]helium, is the ideal material to fuel fusion reactions. When scientists develop a more thorough understanding of fusion, and can practically implement such reactions, the Moon will be a priceless resource, since it is by far the best source of [3]helium anywhere in the Solar System.”

This pretty much answers the question; are there valuable materials up there?

3) What is the distance to the Moon?

The mean distance to the Moon is approximately 238,800 miles. From past experience, we can design spacecraft to get there in about three days. This is far shorter than the months the early voyages took to the new world.

Final thoughts on the Moon.

So here we have this tremendous resource at our fingertips. Unfortunately (not unlike the early explorers), the initial cost is staggering. However, in the long run it would end up being an invaluable resource for both material and scientific study. One of the big advantages is that the Moon keeps one side facing the Earth. This minimizes communication problems between the two bodies. Also since the backside of the Moon is shielded from the Earth, it would be an ideal spot to place a radio telescope array.

Dr_Tron  posted on  2009-05-06   20:47:43 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#9. To: TooConservative, gengis gandhi (#8)

see the above post


"Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. If you control carbon, you control life." — Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT Professor of Meteorology

farmfriend  posted on  2009-05-06   20:56:39 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#10. To: Dr_Tron (#8)

What is the Moon made of?

not green cheese? ;)

interesting information. thanks for posting and welcome to 4um.

The smooth criminal transition from Bush/Cheney to Obama

christine  posted on  2009-05-06   21:18:55 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#11. To: Dr_Tron (#8)

Interesting, but doesn't address the FACTS of the disparity of moon age, rock composition, water vapor, magnetic rocks, mascons, seismic activity, especially the "ringing" recorded when the Lunar Module ascent stages were crashed into the Moon, and other facts.

I don't know what it is that you're addressing. You're introducing something that should be a seperate thread.

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. - Henry Louis Mencken

rack42  posted on  2009-05-06   21:53:58 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#12. To: rack42 (#11)

one thing i noticed about the moon ringing when the lunar thingy was detached.

thats a fairly small object. the moon is pretty big in comparison.

how then, did it fall in a reduced gravity environment with enough force to cause such a shockwave that reverberated in the moon?

since there were seismonitors up there, the typical way that geologists test thing like that is explosives or earthquakes, i believe.

that said, if it wasn't the lander that did it, were there some type of explosive charges used to create this effect?

if a people will not prosecute officials who subvert and violate the constitution, then the constitution has no authority over officials.

Gengis Gandhi, Troubled Genius

gengis gandhi  posted on  2009-05-07   20:21:19 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#13. To: christine (#10)

test

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

IndieTX  posted on  2009-05-07   22:52:42 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#14. To: All (#13)

test

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

IndieTX  posted on  2009-05-07   22:53:35 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#15. To: All (#14)

last test

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

IndieTX  posted on  2009-05-07   22:55:43 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#16. To: farmfriend (#5)

It keeps the Earth from wobbling too much.

Never mind what would happen to menstrual cycles.

Casting call now open for: Gray Skies, Bare Trees, and a Jewess.

Prefrontal Vortex  posted on  2009-05-08   2:30:48 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#17. To: rack42, Dr_Tron (#11)

I don't know what it is that you're addressing.

The fact that you are an idiot if you believe the crap you posted.


"Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. If you control carbon, you control life." — Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT Professor of Meteorology

farmfriend  posted on  2009-05-08   2:57:22 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#18. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#16)

Never mind what would happen to menstrual cycles.

Oh don't even go there. I have enough trouble as it is. Come on menopause!


"Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. If you control carbon, you control life." — Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT Professor of Meteorology

farmfriend  posted on  2009-05-08   2:58:48 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#19. To: All (#18)

Sorry for taking so long in getting back to this thread. I am a real “in-the- field” working scientist and as such, am rather busy at times. The only reason I saw this thread in the first place was from a link in an email I received. So after reviewing the thread, I figured I ought to sign up and toss in my two cents.

Moon’s Age: The moon is far older than previously expected. Maybe even older than the Earth or the Sun. The oldest age for the Earth is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old; moon rocks were dated at 5.3 billion years old, and the dust upon which they were resting was at least another billion years older.

Not true. Apollo 16 collected the oldest known moon rock and it appears to be about the age of the Moon itself, roughly 4.5 Billion years old. Some of the basalts found in Mare Imbrium date to about 3.3 billion years old.

Rock’s Origin: The chemical composition of the dust upon which the rocks sat differed remarkably from the rocks themselves, contrary to accepted theories that the dust resulted from weathering and breakup of the rocks themselves. The rocks had to have come from somewhere else.

Not quite. The composition of the lunar dust can be altered by the interaction of the solar wind and/or lunar impacts from meteorites. However, a majority of the dust (I don’t call ir soil since soil by definition contains water and organics) matches the composition of the lunar regolith.

Heavier Elements on Surface: Normal planetary composition results in heavier elements in the core and lighter materials at the surface; not so with the moon. According to Wilson, "The abundance of refractory elements like titanium in the surface areas is so pronounced that several geologists proposed the refractory compounds were brought to the moon’s surface in great quantity in some unknown way. They don’t know how, but that it was done cannot be questioned." (Emphasis added).

Differentiation (lighter material floating to the top) is observed on the Moon as well. The lunar crust is composed of lighter material such as anorthosite, norite, and troclite whereas the heavier are deep within the Moon. We can “see” this by the contrast between the composition of the maria and the lunar highlands. The maria have flows from deeper in the Moon resulting in the heavier material such as Titanium.

Water Vapor: On March 7, 1971, lunar instruments placed by the astronauts recorded a vapor cloud of water passing across the surface of the moon. The cloud lasted 14 hours and covered an area of about 100 square miles.

I would love to see the source for this one.

Magnetic Rocks: Moon rocks were magnetized. This is odd because there is no magnetic field on the moon itself. This could not have originated from a "close call" with Earth—such an encounter would have ripped the moon apart.

Actually the Moon has a weak magnetic field albeit not the dipole we see here on Earth from a spinning dynamo (the Earth’s core). Also the Moon passes thru the Earth’s magneto tail causing the crust to become negatively charged. Large impact is also thought to have crated a magnetic field. This is supported by the observation of greater crustal magnetic fields at or near the antipodes of the giant lunar basins.

No Volcanoes: Some of the moon’s craters originated internally, yet there is no indication that the moon was ever hot enough to produce volcanic eruptions.

During an early phase of the Moon’s existence, the crust was molten. This is shown by lunar samples brought back from every landing site. This also resulted in spectacular volcanic activity during that time as well.

Moon Mascons: Mascons, which are large, dense, circular masses lying twenty to forty miles beneath the centers of the moon’s maria, "are broad, disk-shaped objects that could be possibly some kind of artificial construction. For huge circular disks are not likely to be beneath each huge maria, centered like bull’s-eyes in the middle of each, by coincidence or accident." (Emphasis added).

Mascon (Mass Concentration) is observed on the Earth, Moon, and Mars. There is nothing to suggest they are circular or artificial. And uplift in the crust mantle interface and/or basaltic lavas can cause these phenomena.

Seismic Activity: Hundreds of "moonquakes" are recorded each year that cannot be attributed to meteor strikes. In November, 1958, Soviet astronomer Nikolay A. Kozyrev of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory photographed a gaseous eruption of the moon near the crater Alphonsus. He also detected a reddish glow that lasted for about an hour. In 1963, astronomers at the Lowell Observatory also saw reddish glows on the crests of ridges in the Aristarchus region. These observations have proved to be precisely identical and periodical, repeating themselves as the moon moves closer to the Earth. These are probably not natural phenomena.

There is differential heating of the Moon, which in itself can cause small quakes. Impacts are also a source of lunar shaking. As far as this Soviet Astronomer? – I cannot find any source or cite outside of the UFO conspiracy circles.

Hollow Moon: The moon’s mean density is 3.34 gm/cm3 (3.34 times an equal volume of water) whereas the Earth’s is 5.5. What does this mean? In 1962, NASA scientist Dr. Gordon MacDonald stated, "If the astronomical data are reduced, it is found that the data require that the interior of the moon is more like a hollow than a homogeneous sphere." Nobel chemist Dr. Harold Urey suggested the moon’s reduced density is because of large areas inside the moon where is "simply a cavity." MIT’s Dr. Sean C. Solomon wrote, "the Lunar Orbiter experiments vastly improved our knowledge of the moon’s gravitational field . . . indicating the frightening possibility that the moon might be hollow." In Carl Sagan’s treatise, Intelligent Life in the Universe, the famous astronomer stated, "A natural satellite cannot be a hollow object."

Not quite. The Moon’s density pretty much matches the Earth’s mantle. (Which is what you would expect from and interplanetary collision resulting in the formation of the Moon from mantle material) This has been shown by seismic data. The Moon is not hollow.

Moon Echoes: On November 20, 1969, the Apollo 12 crew jettisoned the lunar module ascent stage causing it to crash onto the moon. The LM’s impact (about 40 miles from the Apollo 12 landing site) created an artificial moonquake with startling characteristics—the moon reverberated like a bell for more than an hour. This phenomenon was repeated with Apollo 13 (intentionally commanding the third stage to impact the moon), with even more startling results. Seismic instruments recorded that the reverberations lasted for three hours and twenty minutes and traveled to a depth of twenty-five miles, leading to the conclusion that the moon has an unusually light—or even no—core.

See above answer.

Unusual Metals: The moon’s crust is much harder than presumed. Remember the extreme difficulty the astronauts encountered when they tried to drill into the maria? Surprise! The maria is composed primarily illeminite, a mineral containing large amounts of titanium, the same metal used to fabricate the hulls of deep-diving submarines and the skin of the SR-71 "Blackbird". Uranium 236 and neptunium 237 (elements not found in nature on Earth) were discovered in lunar rocks, as were rustproof iron particles.

I answered this above. The titanium in the rock is from the same process than iron and titanium are found in the lava flows here on Earth.

Moon’s Origin: Before the astronauts’ moon rocks conclusively disproved the theory, the moon was believed to have originated when a chunk of Earth broke off eons ago (who knows from where?). Another theory was that the moon was created from leftover "space dust" remaining after the Earth was created. Analysis of the composition of moon rocks disproved this theory also. Another popular theory is that the moon was somehow "captured" by the Earth’s gravitational attraction. But no evidence exists to support this theory. Isaac Asimov, stated, "It’s too big to have been captured by the Earth. The chances of such a capture having been effected and the moon then having taken up nearly circular orbit around our Earth are too small to make such an eventuality credible."

My previous post went into this in depth.

Weird Orbit: Our moon is the only moon in the solar system that has a stationary, near-perfect circular orbit. Stranger still, the moon’s center of mass is about 6000 feet closer to the Earth than its geometric center (which should cause wobbling), but the moon’s bulge is on the far side of the moon, away from the Earth. "Something" had to put the moon in orbit with its precise altitude, course, and speed.

The Moon is not in a weird orbit. As I stated in my previous post, orbits “fall” into a minimum energy configuration. The Moon is tidally locked to the Earth, and over time, the Earth will in turn tidally lock to the Moon as well.

Moon Diameter: How does one explain the "coincidence" that the moon is just the right distance, coupled with just the right diameter, to completely cover the sun during an eclipse? Again, Isaac Asimov responds, "There is no astronomical reason why the moon and the sun should fit so well. It is the sheerest of coincidences, and only the Earth among all the planets is blessed in this fashion."

The total angular momentum of the earth moon system, which is spin angular momentum plus the orbital angular momentum, is constant. (The Sun plays apart also) Friction of the oceans caused by the tides is causing the Earth to slow down a tiny bit each year. This is approximately two milliseconds per century causing the moon to recede by about 3.7 centimeters per year. As the Earth slows down, the Moon must recede to keep the total angular momentum a constant. In other words as the spin angular momentum of the earth decreases, the lunar orbital angular momentum must increase. Also the Orbit is not “just right” for this phenomenon. Since the Moon’s orbit is an ellipse, often a solar eclipse will not be “perfect”. An Annular eclipse comes to mind. Also the Moon was closer to the Earth in the past and will be further away in the future.

Spaceship Moon: As outrageous as the Moon-Is-a-Spaceship Theory is, all of the above items are resolved if one assumes that the moon is a gigantic extraterrestrial craft, brought here eons ago by intelligent beings. This is the only theory that is supported by all of the data, and there are no data that contradict this theory.

In a single word – Nonsense.

Greek authors Aristotle and Plutarch, and Roman authors Apolllonius Rhodius and Ovid all wrote of a group of people called the Proselenes who lived in the central mountainous area of Greece called Arcadia The Proselenes claimed title to this area because their forebears were there "before there was a moon in the heavens." This claim is substantiated by symbols on the wall of the Courtyard of Kalasasaya, near the city of Tiahuanaco, Bolivia, which record that the moon came into orbit around the Earth between 11,500 and 13, 000 years ago, long before recorded history.

And folks believed in Unicorns and Elves as well. Just as much credence.

Ages of Flashes: Aristarchus, Plato, Eratosthenes, Biela, Rabbi Levi, and Posidonius all reported anomalous lights on the moon. NASA, one year before the first lunar landing, reported 570+ lights and flashes were observed on the moon from 1540 to 1967.

These are known as a Transient Lunar Phenomenon (TLP). TLPs are attributed to impacts, and possibly outgassing. There is another phenomena recorded by an instrument left on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission. It was the LEAM. It recorded (along with Surveyors) that moon dust can be electrostatically suspended and create dust clouds. These suspended dust clouds might glow when ionized.

Caution: TLPs are usually from a single eyewitness or a group of people all in the same location. Our own atmosphere could be the culprit for these observed phenomena.

Operation Moon Blink: NASA’s Operation Moon Blink detected 28 lunar events in a relatively short period of time.

This was a short-lived experiment to look for TLPs on the Moon. Again since we are looking thru an atmosphere we need to be careful we are not seeing transients in our own atmosphere. However, the best explanation is lunar outgassing. The Lunar Prospector spacecraft detected outgassing events from lunar orbit.

Lunar Bridge: On July 29, 1953, John J. O’Neill observed a 12-mile-long bridge straddling the crater Mare Crisium. In August, British astronomer Dr. H.P. Wilkens verified its presence, "It looks artificial. It’s almost incredible that such a thing could have been formed in the first instance, or if it was formed, could have lasted during the ages in which the moon has been in existence.

See below

The Shard: The Shard, an obelisk-shaped object that towers 1½ miles from the Ukert area of the moon’s surface, was discovered by Orbiter 3 in 1968. Dr. Bruce Cornet, who studied the amazing photographs, stated, "No known natural process can explain such a structure."

See below

The Tower: One of the most curious features ever photographed on the Lunar surface (Lunar Orbiter photograph III-84M) is an amazing spire that rises more than 5 miles from the Sinus Medii region of the lunar surface.

See below

The Obelisks: Lunar Orbiter II took several photographs in November 1966 that showed several obelisks, one of which was more than 150 feet tall. ". . . the spires were arranged in precisely the same was as the apices of the three great pyramids."

This is similar to the “Face on Mars”, natural formations that are interpreted as artificial. The Apollo orbiters and other vehicles have extensively photographed the surface of the Moon from lunar orbit. When looking at these close-ups, the “bridge, triangles, obelisks, et al. resolve themselves into the natural structures they really are.

Dr_Tron  posted on  2009-05-10   19:18:58 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#20. To: gengis gandhi (#12)

that said, if it wasn't the lander that did it, were there some type of explosive charges used to create this effect?

Nope. The impact (remember MV2) had enough energy to do the job.

Dr_Tron  posted on  2009-05-10   19:20:58 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#21. To: rack42 (#11)

I don't know what it is that you're addressing. You're introducing something that should be a seperate thread

my apologies. I think I have corrected that now. :-)

Dr_Tron  posted on  2009-05-10   19:22:33 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#22. To: christine (#10)

thanks for posting and welcome to 4um.

You are most welcome. I enjoyed and am honored by the privilege of being allowed to answer some of the questions/comments on this thread.

Dr_Tron  posted on  2009-05-10   19:25:11 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#23. To: rack42 (#11)

I finally completed a point by point reply. :-)

Dr_Tron  posted on  2009-05-17   23:08:34 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#24. To: gengis gandhi (#12)

since there were seismonitors up there, the typical way that geologists test thing like that is explosives or earthquakes, i believe.

that said, if it wasn't the lander that did it, were there some type of explosive charges used to create this effect?

I'm no expert, but I strongly doubt that the "explosive charges" which would be explosive bolts to seperate stages would cause the ringing. In my opinon, the "explosive charges" realtive to the crashing of a few tones on the Moon is comparable to a firecracker to several hundred pounds of dynamite.

Proof? I have none. I have not done any calculations. But just consider that exploding several rather small charges compared to several tones impacting into a surface at what ever speed that you choose. What do you think is more likley?

...with the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice.

rack42  posted on  2009-05-18   22:29:55 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#25. To: Dr_Tron (#8)

I have no disagreement with your post.

...with the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice.

rack42  posted on  2009-05-23   22:09:10 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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