45 years ago

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

I was told that the moon technically is a planet, and doesn't actually orbit the earth. The two snake around a common centre of mass (which is fairly close to earth) and are actually dual planets.
This was from my physics 20 teacher, who was a bit of a loon.

Every orbital system orbits around a common center of mass, that's how it works.
It's just that for most of the systems most of us are familliar with, one body is so much more massive that for all intents and purposes, that center of mass is basically the center of one of the bodies. The sun and earth, or the sun and moon, the center of mass is well within the larger of the two bodies.
That's actualy one method of discovering planets, they look for the wobble of a star caused by the orbiting planet.

Pluto and it's largest moon actually orbit around a point that isn't within Pluto itself.

But, rest assured, the moon is not technically a planet, it is a moon.

Edit: just a little checking, the barycenter (center of mass of the earth-moon system) is about 1700 km below the surface of the earth. Earth has a radius of about 6400 km, just for reference.

[Dion]

[photon]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

The only thing I question was this article back in 2004 when President Bush said he wanted to return to the moon by 2020. I thought to myself 2020? We went in the 60s we should have been able to go yesterday. Anyway I'm pretty sure we went just seems a little weird we would have to wait another 14 years to go.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/14/bush.space/

They have the science, but they no longer have the expertise and infrastructure. They couldn't even just build a Saturn V anymore. It's not just a matter of what to build but how to build it.

That's why it would take time to go again, it's not as bad as having to invent it all from scratch but a good chunk of it will be close.

[T@T]

This is probably the most vivid memory from my childhood, two TV's set up at our school library for about 300 parents and kids to watch. I watched from my dads shoulders and even as a 7 year old I remember the marvel that they could travel that far and land on the land I use to call cheese. Armstrong was my hero for the next few years.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

Still amazes me that a guy walked on the moon, let alone 45 years ago. Pretty incredible.

Actually, counting all the Apollo missions, 12 have walked on the moon.

[pylon]

This is the book I learned to read with. I am not kidding, if my dad saw it again, he would probably break into a cold sweat. He probably read me that book 500 times. The thing had the consistency of a piece of cloth by the time I was done with it.I also had a similar dinosaur book. Whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, it was either an Astronaut on the moon, or a Stegosaurus.

[DownInFlames]

This is my favourite video that debunks the moon landing hoax. If you know anything about photography or how light works you can't help but be convinced.



I wasn't alive to see the moon landing, but hopefully I live long enough to see someone walk on another planet.