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On Earth, aircraft rely on GPS, the U.S. government-run satellite navigation system, to provide precise landing coordinates as planes and other craft move through the sky. But there's no such satellite network encircling the moon.
When spacecraft land on Earth, they use the atmosphere to slow down, as we saw when Space Shuttles and Apollo capsules returned. But the moon's atmosphere is extremely thin, comparable to the far outskirts of Earth's atmosphere, where the International Space Station orbits. This means that slowing down is dependent on firing out bounties of propellent.
Why aren't they landing on the moon? I'm asking because they've already done it, right? Over 50 years ago they were able to navigate a lunar surface landing. It should be easy peezy at this point, again especially since they've been able to do it before.
originally posted by: OneBigMonkeyToo
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn
Because in this instance the Earth isn't between the sun and moon
Late to the party, so some may have already asked and it may have been answered, but why is there no shadow of Earth on the moon in this pic?
Like all worlds orbiting a sun, Earth casts a shadow. It’s easy to see in the sky, just after sunset and before sunrise. In fact, you’ve probably already seen Earth’s shadow, many times, as day changes to night.
originally posted by: NightSkyeB4Dawn
originally posted by: OneBigMonkeyToo
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn
Because in this instance the Earth isn't between the sun and moon
If the sun's rays were hitting the moon first, then would not the shadow be on the other side of the moon?
originally posted by: OneBigMonkeyToo
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn
As other people have said, it's the 3D aspect of the image you're missing. I've put the correct date into Celestia (but not the correct time) and this is how it looks from the side:
and this is how it looks by just changing the viewing angle:
(NB: the original image is 'upside down' - north is at the bottom).
originally posted by: AOx6179
a reply to: Alien Abduct
You can go to where we store the moon rocks we collected when we were on the moon (there is footage of the astronauts collecting them).
Ok, question about the rocks. They just released info about the rocks. Just this year I believe. Why did they wait 50+ years to start examining these rocks?