Idaho Skies Transcript for July 25th and 26th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for July 25th and 26th. We’re your hosts, Paul...


RACHEL
...and Rachel.


PAUL
Looking for Mars?


RACHEL
Well, it’s that bright orange star below the moon on the night of the 26th.


PAUL
As we mentioned earlier this week, the air pressure, or more accurately, air density on Mars is very low.


RACHEL
With an air density only 1% of the air density on Earth, the Martian winds are very weak.


PAUL
The winds on Mars must blow ten times faster for them to feel like winds on Earth.


RACHEL
So while nice kite-flying winds can be 10 miles per hour on Earth...


PAUL
...they have to blow at 100 miles per hour on Mars.


RACHEL
In Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney is nearly killed in a Martian dust storm.


PAUL
But hurricane force winds like that would have to blow around 1,000 miles per hour on Mars to have that effect.


RACHEL
The novel and movie are, however, correct about the problems of accumulation of wind blown dust.


PAUL
Fine Martian dust is not weathered like dust is on Earth.


RACHEL
This means the dust is very sharp and likely to scratch surfaces.


PAUL
Martian dust would be very effectively lodge into mechanisms that move, like gear trains.


RACHEL
The sharp edges of the dust can then do serious damage to these mechanisms.


PAUL
This means Martian astronauts must regularly clean and lubricate the zippers in their spacesuit to keep them from failing.


RACHEL
The dust represents an additional risk to astronauts because they could inhale it.


PAUL
Just like miners on Earth, Martian astronauts might suffer from silicosis by the long term inhalation of Martian dust.


RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 25th and 26th of July.


PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul...


RACHEL
...and Rachel.


PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.