Thread: Wind in the moon?

Is there wind in the moon, because i tought there wasn't since it has no atmosphere i guess. but in the photo of one of the american flags in the moon it seems like they are taking alot of wind on them!

if anyone can answer this doubt of mine i'd be gratefull

Yes there is the solar wind, and the moon has a very spare atmosphere as well.

watching the lunar eclipse last week with my naked eye, i noticed the earth's shadow as approaching the moon and it seemingly cast its own shadow. not sure how to explain it but when i was able to detect the vivid arc of the earth against the surface of the moon, then there appeared to be a cloud like semi-transparent distortion that sperad out ahead of the earths shadow.

Wind? Atmosphere? Gravity? Bad eyes?

There is no wind as you know it on Earth, there is certainly not enough atmosphere to have 'air' molecules enough to blow things really. The movement of the Apollo flag is due to movement of the pole by the astronauts. The remaining movement after they touch it is the inertia caused by the movement until it eventually dampens out and become still.

Originally Posted by ajg624

Wind? Atmosphere? Gravity? Bad eyes?

I'm no expert on the subject, but my guess would be light distorted through Earth's atmosphere on the way to the moon.

That or bad eyes :P

i hear that it could just be the lower gravity hasn't pulled it down yet

Originally Posted by pianoforte

i hear that it could just be the lower gravity hasn't pulled it down yet

if you mean 'it' is the flag, then yes that is partly right. Gravity would be one of the forces acting on the pole and flag to help dampen the movement.
If you meant something else, then ignore what I just typed

Originally Posted by ajg624

watching the lunar eclipse last week with my naked eye, i noticed the earth's shadow as approaching the moon and it seemingly cast its own shadow. not sure how to explain it but when i was able to detect the vivid arc of the earth against the surface of the moon, then there appeared to be a cloud like semi-transparent distortion that sperad out ahead of the earths shadow.

Wind? Atmosphere? Gravity? Bad eyes?

Umbra and penumbra, probably.

correct me if i am wrong but if a space ship was going 200000km/h( dont know if thats how fast they go)but if they ran out of fuel, the space ship woud still be going 200000km/h in constant speed until it hits something.
maybe thats what the flag is doing

Originally Posted by icu

correct me if i am wrong but if a space ship was going 200000km/h( dont know if thats how fast they go)but if they ran out of fuel, the space ship woud still be going 200000km/h in constant speed until it hits something.
maybe thats what the flag is doing

essentially you are right, once thrust is applied, the force will remain as there is no air resisitance and such to slow it. That said, there are influencing forces that will effect the ship's speed, such as solar winds and gravity of nearby stars and planets. This will effect a ship's speed and trajectory as it enters areas of influence around the planets, slowing it down, speeding it up (slingshot) or even impact.

The flag on the moon will be strongly effected by the Moon's gravity and by the regolith's grasp acting on the pole. So the flag will wave until all this force and inertia is canceled out by these forces, which takes a little while.