2006-08-23 04:01:11 · 8 answers · asked by anish raj 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The initial idea you are saying is not true.
The moon faces the same side to the Earth, not to the sun. Meaning as it goes around the planet, the moon slowly changes the side that faces the sun.
Furthermore, the visible side of the moon is the part that is lit by the sun. That is why on a new moon, we see nothing.
2006-08-23 07:04:28 · answer #1 · answered by dennis_d_wurm 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be possible to build a solar array on the moon and then use a microwave device to transfer the power to earth. The only problem is that the moons orbit is decoulpled from the speed earth rotates at. So the microwave collecter would need to be mobile to stay in the path of the generator. On top of that such a focused micro wave beam would be a large hazard. Another option would be to place large mirrors on the moon that could gather light and shine it on earth. But again the orbit is not geosychronis so harvesting the light could be tricky but there are several ways to use the energy, not just to generate electricity.
2006-08-23 04:07:03 · answer #2 · answered by imunalia 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was actually just reading about harnessing solar energy off the planet in Popular Science. It was talking about putting solar energy panels in geosynchronous orbit around the earth so they are always in sunlight. Then they would beam the energy back down in wide microwaves (so they don't cook birds and such) to receivers that convert them to electricity. The only problem is getting the gigantic and fragile collectors into orbit.
Solar power on the moon would be best if we ever start a colony there though.
2006-08-23 04:10:10 · answer #3 · answered by echo7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The light from the moon is actually a reflection of the light from the sun. The moon does not produce its own light. Personally, I don't believe that a reflection of light is another form of energy. If this suffice, then the light from the moon cannot be use as any form of energy since it's not one. As anybody heard of lunar energy before.
2006-08-23 04:42:38 · answer #4 · answered by nicechap 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no effective way to transport that energy to the earth today. It's more efficient to use the energy we can harvest from earthly resources and the sun.
But at some day when we set up camps on moon - it will happen evebn though they may be unmanned - there will be solar panels to pick up energy for the machines used there. (Radio equipment for sure, maybe even production equipment for stuff we can't produce on earth.)
2006-08-23 04:09:06 · answer #5 · answered by nitro2k01 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, if there were an economic way of doing that, we would first harness the energy received by earth - rather than going to the moon.
2006-08-25 08:58:30 · answer #6 · answered by Ankit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's not true. The Moon rotates on its axis just like the Earth. The reason that we only see one side of it is because its rotational period is the same as its orbital period. The length of the Lunar 'day' is called its synodic period and it's about 29.5 days.
Doug
2006-08-23 04:27:58 · answer #7 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, we could lay down a few scaffold planks and warm them up nicely!
2006-08-23 04:33:17 · answer #8 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋