View Single Post
Old 22-09-2007, 11:24 PM #35
spacebandit spacebandit is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,163
spacebandit spacebandit is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 1,163
Default

Quote:
Originally posted by BB8

also the Hubble space telescope is powerful enough to see the landing sight so why wont America let us see it
Unfortunately no,
the most powerful telescope we have, at the best resolution currently available when looking the moon gives what looks to be a pretty clear of the surface

But Hubble only has a 2.4 metre mirror, and each pixel at the best resolution covers approximately 86 metres of lunar surface, the landers are considerably smaller

The largest telescope will be the Magellan, which which will have a 24.5 metre mirror, made up of seven 8 metre reflectors in sequence - and still to take a picture of the lunar surface where one pixel = the size of the lunar landing craft will take a telescope 4 times the size of Magellan. And one pixel will not be enough to positively identify the object

the best chance of proving and also disproving the hoax is Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2008, although funded in part by the Japanese it will fall under the control of Nasa.
spacebandit is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote