Hacker News Reader

It also highlights how few impacts the moon gets these days as any impact near this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroreflector would kick up moon dust and have a detrimental effect upon such a reflector.

Which is encouraging for any solar installations upon the moon for the one day, eventual moon base.

View on HN

isn't the lack of impacts near the retroreflector due to the fact that the moon surface around the reflector is always facing earth?

The earth covers a pretty small part of the sky for the moon, so I'm not sure it would have that much effect?

According to NASA [0], you are correct. Furthermore:

"It is likely that each side of the Moon has received equal numbers of impacts, but the resurfacing by lava results in fewer craters visible on the near side than the far side, even though the both sides have received the same number of impacts."

[0] https://lunarscience.nasa.gov/?question=3318

The earth looks huge from the moon. The moon’s diameter is 2,158.8 mi where earth’s is 7,917.5 mi, meaning it looks 3.5x as wide and covers 13.5x the area. So more your fist at arms length than your thumb.

In terms of impact gravity and atmosphere extend that somewhat. Though, that’s still not enough to make a meaningful difference.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com