Naked Science Forum

General Science => Question of the Week => Topic started by: Adam Murphy on 04/09/2018 09:50:11

Title: QotW - 18.09.04 - Is it possible to terraform the Moon?
Post by: Adam Murphy on 04/09/2018 09:50:11
Chad asks:

"Is it possible to terraform the Moon, so that humans could live there long term?"

What do you think?
Title: Re: QotW - 18.09.04 - Is it possible to terraform the Moon?
Post by: evan_au on 04/09/2018 11:59:11
I imagine you could terraform a lava tube, to make it livable.

But the gravity of the Moon is just too low to hold onto an atmosphere. Without an atmosphere, you end up with searing hot days, and freezing cold nights.

On the Moon, days and nights each last about 2 weeks, so plants can't live off sunlight.

So I'm afraid the Moon is a poor candidate for terraforming.
But there is another candidate, quite close by, in astronomical terms...
Title: Re: QotW - 18.09.04 - Is it possible to terraform the Moon?
Post by: diverjohn on 11/09/2018 23:25:46
To overcome the above-mentioned problems with living on our moon, you could create underground spaces and use solar panels on the surface to supply electrical power. Then somehow you'd need to use that power to pull oxygen and water from the lunar rocks (is that possible?). The advantage to living on the moon is for its closeness to the Earth and as a jumping-off station to other planets. Another problem concerns the low gravity and its bad effects on our bodies. Anyone living on the moon for a few years would find it very diffricult to return to living with the Earth's gravity. Back pain and vision troubles are known.
Title: Re: QotW - 18.09.04 - Is it possible to terraform the Moon?
Post by: Halc on 18/09/2018 17:36:26
To overcome the above-mentioned problems with living on our moon, you could create underground spaces and use solar panels on the surface to supply electrical power.
Is it really considered terraforming if you simply make a slightly larger life-support system than the one you brought with you?  The definition of the word implies it is done on a planetary scale.

This is my first post attempt, so I'm doing this partly to learn how.  My first try got an error concerning the letter are not those I typed.  Subsequent attempts error out that I've already posted this, but the post doesn't show up.
I take it I need to prove I'm not a robot, or at least until I get some level of seniority or something?
Title: Re: QotW - 18.09.04 - Is it possible to terraform the Moon?
Post by: GrizzlyBoom on 05/11/2018 19:57:35
It's too lightweight to hold an atmosphere. So, no.