Images from the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope won’t be the same though there’s still a repair mission to Hubble but sooner or later the greatest scientific instrument of all time will go blind. However, nothing could match Hubble’s perfection and achievements but still we have to think of ways after there’s no Hubble orbiting around. Those are some of the things being considered this week at the home of the Hubble Space Telescope, where astronomers are discussing the opportunities offered by NASA’s plan to return to the moon, including the possibility of a telescope on the lunar surface.

The moon is a large, stable platform with very little atmosphere to interfere with viewing the stars. However, the lack of atmosphere makes it ideal for observation because there are no clouds to obscure the view but at the same time, it also means that even small meteors easily reach the surface, which has been pounded into a fine talcum powder-like consistency in many places. That dust could prove to be a health hazard for astronauts, who might inhale it. The surface is pockmarked with numerous bowl-shaped craters that can be adapted for use by astronomers who could take advantage of the natural parabolic shape to create large antennas or other receivers.

All in all, the entire moon is full of advantages and hazards. But, it will depend entirely on the technology to make the hostile environment of moon a benign environment.

The size of any lunar telescope; whether it would be built on Earth and unfold on arrival, or be assembled on the moon; and how it would be funded all remain to be decided.

Via: FOXNEWS