First Post here

[robrob]

Hi there, this is gonna be my first post, I’ve got lots I wanna put forward, so tempted to just go straight into it right now but am currently at work so will have to make it short.<br /><br />I have often wondered about the validity of theories concerning the dark side of the moon. Is anyone here clued up and can help me?<br />

 

[tmccort]

<font color="yellow">I have often wondered about the validity of theories concerning the dark side of the moon.</font><br /><br />Uhhh, such as?

 

[rhodan]

<i>I have often wondered about the validity of theories concerning the dark side of the moon.</i><br /><br />There is no dark side of the Moon. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />The Moon is tidally locked with Earth though, that's why we only see one hemisphere of our moon. The 'dark side of the Moon' is often mistakenly used as a reference to the side we can not see. ( Pink Floyd can be held somewhat responsible for that... )<br /><br />BTW: Welcome to Uplink, RobRob!

 

[centsworth_II]

RobRob, you mean the far side of the moon (which has day and night just as the near side, which is the side we see, does). <br /><br />As I see it, the biggest difference between the two sides is that the far side seems to be covered with much rougher terrain and has fewer smooth areas than the near side. I suppose a theory to explain this could be that the side facing the Earth may be more protected from meteor impacts.<br /><br />If, on the other hand, the theories that you are referring to involve alien artifacts, the answer to the question of validity is "BUNK!". For other answers, the question could be referred to the Phenomena forum of this web site.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[mooware]

Welcome to the board...<br /><br /><font color="yellow">I have often wondered about the validity of theories concerning the dark side of the moon</font><br /><br />It does help to post what you mean though.. Just a heads up.<br />

 

[lunatio_gordin]

Maybe he's asking why there are so many Maria on the near side and not on the far side?

 

[glutomoto]

Re: dark side of the moon.<br /><br />it's all dark, albedo .07<br /><br /><br /><i>Clean white snow can have an albedo as high as .95, which means it reflects 95% of the energy that falls on it.<br /><br />The Moon's albedo is .07, or 7%. So when you look at the Moon at night, you are only seeing 7% of the total energy given off by the Sun. That's amazing, considering how bright the Moon can be!</i><br /><br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[craig42]

Hello and Welcome <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[nexium]

As the others have posted the light level is about the same for the 48% of the moon we can't see from Earth. Phemomenon is the board to type about alien artifacts which may be on the moon, as most mainstream scientests are all but sure no aliens have visited Earth's moon. Neil

 

[lunatio_gordin]

Hm. so Albedo is all forms of electromagnetic energy (IE, visible light, Infrared, etc.) and not just visible light? i was about to ask if an object's albedo is different depending on what wavelengths you were considering, which is probably so, but if albedo refers to everything, then it's kind of a pointless question.

 

[glutomoto]

<font color="orange">Re: so Albedo is all forms of electromagnetic energy (IE, visible light, Infrared, etc.) and not just visible light?</font><br /><br />I wondered about that too. I almost changed the quote to say visable light. In a way it makes sense to think that all of the energy would contribute to the albedo. Even the infrared might heat some materials and cause changes that could affect the albedo. I guess. Help anyone ???<br /><br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[arconin]

with no expertise backing me up on this I would venture to say that the Albedo is visible light only; different materials will absorb different types of energy in different ways and it seems to me I have only ever seen the term used to describe visible light.<br /><br />Now with a little google work...<br /><br />"unqualified, it refers to an average across the spectrum of visible light" <br /><br />But<br /><br />"It is the ratio of electromagnetic radiation (EM radiation) reflected to the amount incident upon it."<br /><br />So while it is typically used to describe visible light, it can be used to describe many other forms if you first indicate as such.<br /><br />

 

[lunatio_gordin]

Ok. so Albedo <i>is</i> specifically visible light, and an albedo in another wavelength would be different. thanks.

 

[nexium]

I think arconin and lunatio are correct. Visable light only, unless other varieties of photons are infered. The EM spectrum is too wide to expect similar reflectivity over the whole range. Albedo is likely different for each color of visable light. Neil