Re: _Mission to Mars_

From: Michael S. Lorrey (mike@datamann.com)
Date: Mon Apr 03 2000 - 07:47:43 MDT


m wrote:

> --- Danger Hull <tdh23@dana.ucc.nau.edu> wrote:
> > Thanks for your response. The reason I suppose we can see stars
> > from the
> > earth is because there are no very large objects reflecting massive
> > amounts
> > of sunlight in our view.
>
> In fact at the full moon you see significantly fewer stars from earth
> (OK maybe I don't get around enough :-) ),unless you look well away
> from it, and even then there will be dispersed moonlight.

Astronauts in space don't see stars for another reason beyond the unending glare
of the sun: their windows and spacesuit visors are all heavily leaded, both to
control glare (since the sun is 1.4 times brighter in space at one astronomical
unit than on the surface of earth), and to help protect against radiation. Try
this: at night: put on some welders goggles. How many stars do you see???

Mike Lorrey



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