February 9, 2005
Postcard from the Moon
Image Credit: Russ Urry |
Postcard from the Moon Mom and Dad - Well, I've been up here 10 days now and still find the reduced gravity to be the most amazing part of the whole trip. It was a little scary at first because I'd bounce so high, but now it's really fun to feel like I have super powers! The course on lunar geology is exciting – it’s so amazing to jostle around in the ground transports, and even more so in the ballistic exploration vehicles - they give such an awesome, but brief, view of the countryside. We have been able to land inside Copernicus and visit the central peaks (which are uplifted olivine rocks from the lower crust - see, I am becoming a geologist)! We almost got lost driving around the Marius Hills - they all look alike, at least at first, but then we learned to tell the difference between the steep ones and shallow slope ones (ha - they are all pretty steep when you are in a space suit!). We finally found the Marius Rille and followed it back to the Procellarum temporary base - its pretty flat and boring there! Tomorrow we are going to do a detailed mapping of the Tobias Mayer Dome to check if that Italian guy Raf's measurements from shadows gave the right answers. Can you imagine, that is how they tried to understand lunar topography 20 years ago - before Bill Gates bought the Moon and turned it into an education field school and amusement park? Gotta go - the Chinese kids are hosting a Lunar New Year party in a lava tube tonight! I love Luna! Your loving daughter, Sally PS - please send more chocolates on the next shuttle! Technical Details: Yesterday's LPOD: What's Happening at Aestuum? Tomorrow's LPOD: Peaky Piton |
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