Comments on: Can the hubble space telescope show everyone on Earth the US Flag on the moon? http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/ Thu, 17 May 2012 19:46:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: campbelp2002 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1735 campbelp2002 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:22:30 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1735 The Hubble cannot see anything that small on the Moon. But a new satellite now orbiting the Moon has seen the LM decent stages on the surface. Remember, the LM was a 2 stage rocket. The large first stage with the legs was left behind when the smaller second stage took off with the astronauts on board. These decent stages are much larger than a flag and are visible in the pictures taken by the new satellite. See the source. The Hubble cannot see anything that small on the Moon.

But a new satellite now orbiting the Moon has seen the LM decent stages on the surface. Remember, the LM was a 2 stage rocket. The large first stage with the legs was left behind when the smaller second stage took off with the astronauts on board. These decent stages are much larger than a flag and are visible in the pictures taken by the new satellite. See the source.

]]> By: RickB http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1734 RickB Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:14:51 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1734 Geoff G is correct. In optics, there is a limit to how much detail a telescope can make out, and that limit depends on the DIAMETER of the telescope, not on its magnification power. This is called the "Dawes limit," and it has to do with the wave nature of light. If you do the calculation (found on many websites), you find that in order for a telescope to see something as small as a Lunar Module at a distance of 240,000 miles, the telescope would have to be about 300 feet in diameter. (The Hubble's diameter is only about 7.5 feet.) So, because of the way light and optics work, there is no possible way a (small) telescope near the earth could ever image the Lunar Modules. On the other hand, if you move the telescope very close to the moon, it's a whole different story. Just within the past few days, a satellite orbiting the moon has taken photos of the Apollo landing sites and the Lunar Modules there. See this link: (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html ) Geoff G is correct. In optics, there is a limit to how much detail a telescope can make out, and that limit depends on the DIAMETER of the telescope, not on its magnification power. This is called the “Dawes limit,” and it has to do with the wave nature of light. If you do the calculation (found on many websites), you find that in order for a telescope to see something as small as a Lunar Module at a distance of 240,000 miles, the telescope would have to be about 300 feet in diameter. (The Hubble’s diameter is only about 7.5 feet.) So, because of the way light and optics work, there is no possible way a (small) telescope near the earth could ever image the Lunar Modules.

On the other hand, if you move the telescope very close to the moon, it’s a whole different story. Just within the past few days, a satellite orbiting the moon has taken photos of the Apollo landing sites and the Lunar Modules there. See this link: (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html )

]]> By: Billy Butthead http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1733 Billy Butthead Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:42:46 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1733 The resolution of the Hubble is not great enough to see the flag on the moon but it is still there and virtually unchanged. There are some satellites orbiting the moon right now or soon that may be able to see it. The resolution of the Hubble is not great enough to see the flag on the moon but it is still there and virtually unchanged.
There are some satellites orbiting the moon right now or soon that may be able to see it.

]]> By: Geoff G http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1732 Geoff G Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:42:02 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1732 No. The Hubble doesn't have adequate resolution to show an object as small as the flag at the distance of the Moon. No. The Hubble doesn’t have adequate resolution to show an object as small as the flag at the distance of the Moon.

]]> By: michael c http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1731 michael c Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:08:24 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1731 It wouldn't make a difference. These people are not entirely rational, and would simply claim that the hubble images themselves were faked and part of the conspiracy. They are no different to creationists, holocaust deniers or other mentalists who rigidly stick to their mindset and refuse to accept any evidence that counters their beliefs. It wouldn’t make a difference. These people are not entirely rational, and would simply claim that the hubble images themselves were faked and part of the conspiracy. They are no different to creationists, holocaust deniers or other mentalists who rigidly stick to their mindset and refuse to accept any evidence that counters their beliefs.

]]> By: SoboRed http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1730 SoboRed Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:54:25 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1730 The telescope does not work like a pair of binoculars, it works by detecting light from celestial bodies like stars, planets, galaxies, etc. The telescope does not work like a pair of binoculars, it works by detecting light from celestial bodies like stars, planets, galaxies, etc.

]]> By: Daniel R http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1729 Daniel R Sun, 26 Jul 2009 04:28:07 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1729 The flags left on the Moon have since deteriorated to the point where they probably no longer exist. They would have been exposed to sever Solar radiation and mind-boggling temperature changes. The poles they hung from are probably still there, but the fabric has almost certainly been gone for a while. The flags left on the Moon have since deteriorated to the point where they probably no longer exist. They would have been exposed to sever Solar radiation and mind-boggling temperature changes. The poles they hung from are probably still there, but the fabric has almost certainly been gone for a while.

]]> By: oklatonola http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-1728 oklatonola Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:49:12 +0000 http://www.telescopebuyingguide.com/blog/can-the-hubble-space-telescope-show-everyone-on-earth-the-us-flag-on-the-moon/#comment-1728 No. The moon is too bright to point Hubble at it. NASA is VERY careful to keep Hubble always pointed away from the Earth and the moon, because the bright light would overload the CCD chips in the cameras. There are six flags on the moon. The one at the Apollo 1 landing site was blown down when the Lunar Module ascent stage took off. No. The moon is too bright to point Hubble at it. NASA is VERY careful to keep Hubble always pointed away from the Earth and the moon, because the bright light would overload the CCD chips in the cameras.

There are six flags on the moon. The one at the Apollo 1 landing site was blown down when the Lunar Module ascent stage took off.

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