“Rusty” Moon?
The blue areas in this composite image from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) aboard the Indian Space Research Organization’s Chandrayaan-1 orbiter show water concentrated at the Moon’s poles. Homing in on the spectra of rocks there, researcher found signs of hematite, a form of rust. Credit: ISRO/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Brown University/USGS
Rust never sleeps.
The moon is ‘rusting’ and scientists are stunned
The rust may be a result of the water discovered on the moon
By Chris Ciaccia
A newly published study notes that the moon is “rusting,” leaving experts perplexed by the discovery.
The research, published in Science Advances, notes that the rust may be a result of water discovered on the moon, but it’s still shocking, given the lack of oxygen and dearth of water on Earth’s celestial satellite.
“It’s very puzzling,” the study’s lead author, Shuai Li of the University of Hawaii, said in a statement. “The moon is a terrible environment for hematite to form in.”
Li was looking at data from the JPL Moon Mineralogy Mapper when the researcher realized the instrument detected “spectra – or light reflected off surfaces – that revealed the Moon’s poles had a very different composition than the rest of it,” the statement added.
The polar surfaces showed spectra that matched the mineral hematite (Fe2O3), according to the study’s abstract.
“Although oxidizing processes have been speculated to operate on the lunar surface and form ferric iron–bearing minerals, unambiguous detections of ferric minerals forming under highly reducing conditions on the Moon have remained elusive,” the researchers wrote in the study’s abstract. “Our analyses of the Moon Mineralogy Mapper data show that hematite, a ferric mineral, is present at high latitudes on the Moon, mostly associated with east- and equator-facing sides of topographic highs, and is more prevalent on the nearside than the farside.”
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With no atmosphere providing oxygen on the moon and the sun’s solar wind delivering hydrogen — which should act as a “reducer” to prevent oxidation — scientists are baffled where the rust is coming from. However, they believe it could stem from Earth, given the moon does have “trace amounts of oxygen” thanks to Earth’s magnetic field.
Next will be lunar chem-trails, conspiracy theory fodder if I ever saw it. Read the rest here: Fox News
ChipNASA unavailable for comment.
*grin*
Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Science and Technology
Now the moon is rusting!?!
Thanks Trump.
That ain’t rust, that’s mold! As in moldy cheese mold! Everybody knows that the moon is made of cheese. If they hada actually made them trips to the moon, they’d know that. They’d also know the fact that, just like here on Mother Earth, there are different landscapes/terrains all over. Do the Badlands of Dakota look line the Rain Forests of Brazil? Or the Smokey Mountains in NC look like the Rockies out West…or the beaches of FL?
Now, sit down, shut up, give me a slice of Moon and a Trisket, I needs a snak!
Or as an Irish taxi driver once told me “Everyone talks about our ruddy complexions. See that rain pissing down? That’s not ruddy, that’s rust!”
You need an RC Cola and a Moon Pie, Gun Bunny, sittin’ on the porch in the shade.
*grin*
Heh…Maybe this will shed some “Light” on the subject?
Wow. That was a effective with the Vietnam war film clips and the lyrics. I’ve never been analytical of song lyrics so never saw a connection to the war.
You could make a video today of the riots today and the lyrics would still be very timely.
Bad Moon Rising is one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands. I was a high schooler when this song came out. Maybe I liked CCR because I could actually figure out the guitar chords!
Must be an exceptionally high tide.
The Trump administration’s lack of leadership has resulted in the Moon rusting away.
That’s what happens when you reduce taxes and defund the maintenance contractors that keep the Moon shiny.
OH NO, climate change has reached the Moon and IT’S ALL TRUMP’S FAULT!!!
There’s a moon out tonight.
Need to send Neil Young up there, one way ticket.
“Rust Never Sleeps”
I have photos somewhere in a file that show the actual color of the Moon to be a bright orange, the color of fresh rust.
Atmospheric conditions on Earth have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Aliens… when all else fails blame it on Aliens.