The Moon is not a good place for telescopes

2010/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

According to a study by the Chinese Academy of Science, water recently discovered on the Moon could negatively affect the activity of telescopes. The conclusions of the study were presented at the European Congress of Planetary Science, Rome.

Last year, the LCROSS probe sent by NASA found water on the Moon and the discovery caused a surprise, as until then the Moon was a dry desert. This water evaporates into sunlight and decomposes by ultraviolet radiation effect. This is how hydrogen and hydroxide molecules form.

Well, the researchers have recalculated the number of hydroxyl molecules that could be present in the "atmosphere" of the Moon, discovering that the amount of water in the Moon is between two and three times greater than expected. They warn that this water vapor would be sufficient to damage the function of certain telescopes. As an example, we mentioned the Chang´e-3 Chinese moon probe to be launched in 2013. The probe is intended to install an ultraviolet astronomical telescope that acts on the surface of the Moon under sunlight and receives energy from solar panels.

At certain wavelengths of ultraviolets, hydroxyl molecules cause dispersion. "Our calculations suggest that this dispersion will contaminate, distort, make the observations of the telescopes located on the Moon," explains study manager Zhao Hua.