Modern Mysteries of the Moon (kartoniertes Buch)

There are still many unanswered questions--mysteries--that remain about the Moon, which this book examines. Data from Apollo and a flotilla of unmanned Moon orbiters, crashers, and landers have all contributed to our understanding of the Moon, but these mysteries remain despite decades of research. From concentric craters to lunar swirls, water vapor and lunar reverberations on impact, Foster collects it all for a fascinating tour that will illuminate the backyard observer's understanding of this easily viewed, yet also imperfectly understood, celestial object. When Project Apollo brought back lunar rocks and soil samples, it opened a new chapter of understanding Earth's lone natural satellite, a process that continues to this day, as old results are revisited and new techniques are used on existing samples. Topics such as the origin, evolution, structure and composition of the Moon, however, are still under debate. In fact, lunar research is an active and healthy field of study. New supercomputers make it possible to simulate a wide range of conditions throughout the Moon's lifetime. But even with these, the Moon continues to hold tight to some of its oldest and most cherished secrets. Foster examines many of the most interesting puzzles and what has been revealed by exploring them--as well as what questions remain.