Posted Apr 18, 2008 at 10:31AM by Isaac C. Listed in: Celestial Bodies Tags: NASA, magnetic field
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Electric dust storms on lunar surface during full moon - Image 1The full moon has always been a constant inspiration for creepy stories. Horror stories just seem better if it includes a full moon somewhere in the story.

This story from NASA describes a creepy image, but it doesn't occur here on Earth, but on the moon itself. This story of course, happens when the moon is full.

According to University of Maryland scientist Tim Stubbs, something weird happens on the lunar surface during this time. Fine particles of moondust float above the ground and begin to move like wind is blowing, even though there is no air on the moon. What could be causing such an event?

Nothing all that mysterious, really, and nothing science can't explain. According to Stubbs, whenever the moon is full, its orbit enters the Earth's magnetotail, an extension of its magnetic field that's "stretched" because of solar winds. When the moon is inside this region, it comes into contact with a gigantic "plasma sheet."

When this happens, the moon becomes electrically charged, and electrons can accumulate voltages up to hundreds or thousands of volts. The electrical charge causes moondust to rise from the lunar surface, and also causes the dust to move as if blown by a wind.

Stubbs explains that this is all speculation though, since we haven't physically seen this happen. No astronaut has landed on a full moon so they've never experienced the crucial moment when the moon is inside the Earth's magnetotail. It would be really cool to see something like that happen though.

[Via NASA] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!

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