In , the astronauts Edgar Mitchell, Alan Shepard, Eugene Cernan, and Joe Engle visited Craters of the Moon before going up to the moon on the Apollo 14 mission to learn the basics of volcanic geology.
These guys were test pilots and engineers and such, so they didn't know much about geology, so they came here to learn the basics of geology. We've had this long association with NASA ever since.
We also have ongoing space science research. Recently, astrobiologists were looking at some cave minerals that we have here. There's creamy-white cave minerals that precipitate out of the rock here, and our rock has a mineral content that's closer to Mars than the moon.
They were really interested in seeing whether there's a microbial trigger that causes these minerals to precipitate out of our rock because they've found similar minerals on Mars. Basically, it's a way of figuring out whether microbes are involved in the process of precipitation. And then if so, perhaps there are some microbes on Mars. They've also done some remote sensing stuff here, looking at our lava tubes and trying to utilize some of those same tools on Mars.
Those lava tubes might be a possible refuge for life on Mars—they're very interested in looking at those features. That's correct. Despite the name Craters of the Moon, all of our craters are actually volcanic craters. And most of the craters on the lunar surface were created by meteorite impact.
But it is the same kind of rock, though our rock is much, much younger. The rocks on the lunar surface are billions of years old. Some of our volcanic rock here is 2, years old. Most definitely. Our junior ranger program is unique in the universe because we have the only lunar ranger program in the universe as far as we know. Kids can earn a patch. You can be if you want. We do not discriminate by age. We have this really cool patch, and when you earn your lunar ranger patch, you can choose to wear either a junior ranger hat or an astronaut helmet.
We try to encourage kids to learn more about their backyards and reach for the stars. All rights reserved. Let's start by talking a bit about the name. How was the park named? Okay, that sounds pretty great. What about gravity? Yeah, we have that. There are five caves at the monument that are open to the public. The bats in the caves are mesmerizing but vulnerable to a deadly new fungus that causes White-Nose Syndrome. For this reason, cave permits are only granted after visitors go through a screening process with park staff.
The cave area is the final stop on the loop road. Carpets of bright color appear every spring in the form of flashy wildflowers, bringing Craters of the Moon to life. Late May to mid-June is typically when the season is at its peak. However, the syringa, Idaho's state flower, is a notable mid-summer bloom at the monument. Despite the harsh and seemingly barren environment, stunning flowers makes their return each year in an act of stubborn survival.
Where it still stands, the wall's mixture of stone and clay blends into the surrounding land. But he could identify roads, airport runways and irrigation ditches simply because they stood out in their environments. Some U. But it tends to show up only in certain lighting conditions. When the sun is low on the horizon, for example, the wall casts extended shadows that make it possible to discern its silhouette. In American astronaut Leroy Chiao snapped a photo from the International Space Station of a swath of Inner Mongolia, around miles kilometers north of Beijing, while the sun's angle was favorable.
NASA experts later confirmed that the photo appears to show the wall. But Chiao admitted that he wasn't sure what he was seeing from space.
Machines can do a better job. Low-orbit satellites have sensors that can penetrate through haze and clouds, making it easier for them to produce clear images. But, as with the naked eye, identifying the wall is hardly a guarantee. Moderate-resolution satellites, like the U.
Geological Survey's USGS two operating Landsat land observation satellites that orbit miles kilometers above Earth's surface, can typically only pick up the structure under specific weather conditions, says Ronald Beck, program information specialist with the USGS's Land Remote Sensing Program. And instead of being "bigger than Picasso", Van Hoeydonck found himself unnamed as the artist, Scott was the subject of congressional scrutiny after Fallen Astronaut was associated with profiteering off a public space program, and the Waddell Gallery went bankrupt within three years.
Despite all of this, the statue and its message is still incredibly beautiful — and 48 years later, it shows that art even , kilometres , miles away from us is still subject to very human problems. You can read more about the statue and subsequent controversy in this great feature over at Slate.
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