Transcript for December 7th and 8th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for December 7th and 8th. We’re your hosts, Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
The moon reaches the first quarter phase on the 7th.

RACHEL
First quarter is a good time to take a gander at the moon through binoculars or small telescope.

PAUL
That’s because lots of craters will be visible along the terminator or boundary between the lunar day and night.

RACHEL
However, there will be even more craters scattered across the moon’s southern hemisphere.

PAUL
Lunar craters were discovered by Galileo in 1609.

RACHEL
Prior to that time, most people believed the moon had a smooth and perfect surface.

PAUL
Imagine Galileo’s surprise when he discovered the moon was covered with bowl-like depressions.

RACHEL
He gave the depressions the name crater, which was a shallow bowl used to mix wine and water.

PAUL
More than 60 years ago, it was difficult for people to accept the notion that rocks fell out of the sky.

RACHEL
So lunar craters were originally thought to result from volcanic explosions on the moon.

PAUL
Between World War 1 and World War 2, there was even a suggestion that craters were created by lunar glaciers.

RACHEL
One reason it was difficult to square craters with meteorite impacts is that scientists were unfamiliar with the effects of hypersonic impacts.

PAUL
One person instrumental in getting to the bottom of this in the 1960s was Gene Shoemaker.

RACHEL
He literally did get to the bottom of things by hiking to the bottom of Meteor crater in Arizona.

PAUL
His explorations taught him that the rim of meteor craters are flipped over, but not from a volcanic explosion.

RACHEL
It’s flipped over because a hypersonic impact creates an explosion beneath the ground at the impact site.

PAUL
His observations about craters taught the Apollo astronauts about the lunar terrain before their flights to the moon.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 6th and 7th of December.

PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.