Russians Detect Mysterious Beam on the Moon (december 2010)

reply to post by Xcathdra


How did they fire a laser beam at the dark side of the moon? this anomaly the russians have detected is comming from the dark side, not the visable side which we see from planet earth.

reply to post by EricLintScD


There is no dark side of the moon.

The far side of the moon actually gets about the same amount of light as the one facing us does. It's just tidally locked.

I think alot of people are noticing things about the moon. A couple of months ago at my work (i work nighshift) it was a clear night but i couldnt seem to find the moon and ive also seen threads on here stating the same thing. I just wonder whats happening. There are also threads here claiming that governments already have bases on the other side of the moon so you never really know there could be.

Originally posted by Sparky63
...I remember a discussion on past threads about a faint, almost non-existent, atmosphere on the moon that gets agitated by the progression of the "terminator" line. the dividing line between night & day on the moon.
I wonder it this has some effect on the observation.

There is outgassing and other effects that contribute to a tenuous (albeit practically non-existent) atmosphere. I suppose there could be some mineral or gas locked in rocks on the surface that react to the sudden changes in light/temperature at the terminator line.

Perhaps it is these reactions that are causing the "beams".

reply to post by Soylent Green Is People


Haha...I now am thinking about that scene in "Armageddon" when the sun light is hitting the rocks surface.
yup, that sounds like it's plausible...if said beam does exist.

Originally posted by BURNZYY
I think alot of people are noticing things about the moon. A couple of months ago at my work (i work nighshift) it was a clear night but i couldnt seem to find the moon and ive also seen threads on here stating the same thing. I just wonder whats happening. There are also threads here claiming that governments already have bases on the other side of the moon so you never really know there could be.

I'm also noticing something else about your knowledge regarding the sun and earth's shadow ...

reply to post by BURNZYY


That would be called a New Moon, Burnzy.

It is when it is between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth. At this time, the dark portion of the Moon faces almost directly toward Earth, so that the Moon is not visible to the naked eye. This is also when the far side is illuminated, and why astronomers say it is incorrect to call it the "dark side of the moon."

reply to post by Adept_Zero


Right -- and to further clarify:
There is a side of the Moon always facing away from earth, and there is a side of the Moon always facing the Earth, but those sides receive equal amounts of sunlight and darkness throughout one lunar cycle (about 28 days).

So, like others have said, there is no such thing as the a side of the Moon that is always the dark side. During what is called the "New Moon" -- when the side of the Moon facing the earth is completely dark -- the side facing away from the Earth is all lit up.