Mysterious Moon Dust: Unsolved Puzzle

In summary, the moon accumulates dust from near Earth because of its gravitational pull and meteroite impacts. Earth also has a constant shower of dust falling on it. Comets are constantly coming towards the Sun and shooting stars are debris from their tails. Meteorites make it to the Earth's surface every day.
  • #1
Mk
2,043
4
How can there be dust on the moon if there is no weathering whatsoever? I'm going insane over it.
 
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  • #2
The moon sweeps up some the dust near Earth with its gravitational pull, and meteroite impacts would also create dust.

Also rememeber it's had a very long time to accumulate said dust. :smile:
 
  • #3
Originally posted by Hurkyl
The moon sweeps up some the dust near Earth with its gravitational pull, and meteroite impacts would also create dust.

What kind of dust is floating around aimlessly in space, and what's there to make that dust? Yes some barren places in space there is the intersteller thingy but there isn't enough for all that sand on the moon

Metorite impacts- How many metorites does it take to grind rock into a fine powder? Yes, the moons been aroud for a while (well more than awhile). Metorites are of pretty much iron and other heavy metals. How does it get grinded into a fine powder? When the metorite hits if it shatters into tiny pieces the smallest ones fly out of the moons weak gravity, there goes 98.9999% of your dust. Plus, on the Earth where metorites hit there isn't any dust. Also on the Earth due to the weathering the small particles would be turned into sand, much quicker. No other planet or moon has dust on it. Why is the moon so special?
 
  • #4
Originally posted by Mk
What kind of dust is floating around aimlessly in space, and what's there to make that dust?

What do you think formed the Earth or any of the other planets?

No other planet or moon has dust on it.

How do you know that? We've only landed on one moon, and both Mars and Venus certainly had dust.
 
  • #5
The dust is only a thin layer too don't forget. You can see this if you watch the moon landings as the lander approaches touchdown.

The Earth has a constant shower of dust falling on it too. If you examine the sludge in a drain with a microscope you can see small bits of micrometorite within it.
 
  • #6
How does it get grinded into a fine powder? When the metorite hits if it shatters into tiny pieces the smallest ones fly out of the moons weak gravity, there goes 98.9999% of your dust.

We are talking lots and lots of dust here, so there is still plenty to stay in the moons gravitational field. And we are also talking thousnds of meteorite strikes aswell, it all adds up.
 
  • #7
Originally posted by Adrian Baker
The Earth has a constant shower of dust falling on it too. If you examine the sludge in a drain with a microscope you can see small bits of micrometorite within it.

Where's all that dust coming from? Hasn't the dust been sucked into the Earth's or any other object's gravity over the billions of years?
 
  • #8
Originally posted by Mk
Where's all that dust coming from? Hasn't the dust been sucked into the Earth's or any other object's gravity over the billions of years?

I'm not an expert on this, but a great deal of it comes from the debris left behind when comets pass by. At the last pass of Halley's Comet it was measured to be losing about 30 tons of mass per second when a probe from Earth approached it.
Look up into the sky on any night and you will see several shooting stars - usually debris from Comet's tails, burning up in the atmosphere.
Comets are constantly coming towards the Sun from the Oort cloud - each one leaving some debris as it goes past.
Bigger meteorites make it to the Earth's surface somewhere every day.

There will be others on this board who can give a better account than mine above - I'd be interested in some facts and figures, or good links about this, if anyone has some.

Anyway, if the dust problem puzzles you, ask yourself where all the water in the Earth's Oceans came from...!
 

1. What is moon dust made of?

Moon dust is primarily composed of a mixture of fine particles of silicate minerals, including pyroxene, olivine, and plagioclase. It also contains small amounts of iron, titanium, and other elements.

2. Why is moon dust considered a mysterious puzzle?

Moon dust is considered a mysterious puzzle because it has unique properties that are not found on Earth. It is extremely fine and can be easily disturbed, making it difficult to study. It also contains tiny glass beads that are thought to be formed by micrometeorite impacts, but the exact processes behind their formation are still unknown.

3. How was moon dust first discovered?

Moon dust was first discovered during the Apollo missions when astronauts noticed a layer of fine dust covering the surface of the moon. This dust was brought back to Earth for further study and analysis.

4. What are some theories about the origin of moon dust?

There are several theories about the origin of moon dust. Some scientists believe it was created by micrometeorite impacts on the moon's surface, while others suggest it may have been formed by volcanic activity or even solar wind particles. There is also evidence to suggest that some of the moon dust may have originated from Earth.

5. How does moon dust affect future space exploration?

Moon dust poses a challenge for future space exploration as it can be harmful to human health and can also damage spacecraft equipment. Scientists are currently working on ways to mitigate the effects of moon dust, such as developing specialized materials and technologies to protect against its abrasive nature.

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