Have you ever wondered what would happen if we were to cut the moon in half? In this episode of Dead Planets Society, hosts Leah Crane and Chelsea Whyte delve into the concept of splitting the moon and the potential repercussions.
The Challenge of Observing Dim Objects
Astronomers often face difficulties observing dim objects due to the moon’s bright light that outshines them. Is there a way to solve this problem without completely destroying the moon?
A Lunar Grudge
Leah and Chelsea collaborate with experts Haym Benaroya at Rutgers University and Jonathan McDowell at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to address this long-standing lunar grudge.
The Feasibility of Cracking the Moon
Cracking the moon open would require a tremendous amount of force. Breaking it into debris and preventing gravity from pulling it back together immediately is no easy task. Various ideas, such as using a cosmic jackhammer, a laser array, or even moonquakes or collisions with smaller celestial bodies, are explored.
The Potential Destructive Consequences
Splitting the moon would have significant and potentially catastrophic consequences. The Earth could experience a fiery rain of lunar fragments that could threaten life as we know it. Additionally, the moon’s influence on tides would be drastically altered.
A Unique Sculptural Creation
However, there is a silver lining to cracking the moon open. The release of its molten center could create an enormous and peculiar piece of sculpture, unlike anything seen before.
Dead Planets Society Podcast
Dead Planets Society is a podcast that explores eccentric ideas about manipulating the cosmos and examines them through the lens of physics to assess their feasibility.
Topics:
To listen to this episode and more, subscribe to the Science Spotlight podcast or visit our podcast page here.
