Can you detect smell on the moon ?

Question

i.e. the human nose.
aside the fact that you would die trying

apparently there are very small traces of Helium and Argon in the moons piddly "atmosphere"

http://www.iac.es/galeria/mrk/atmo_lun.html

Answer 1

No, but when the Apollo astronauts got back in the lunar module, they took off their helmets and smelled the oxidation of the moondust on their suits - it smelled like gunpowder.

Answer 2

Well, yes. But not the way you implied in your question.

When the astronauts re-entered the LEM after trotting all over the Moon, they tracked in some 'dirt' (actually, dust, since 'dirt' implies some water content). After all, they are men and there was no one there to tell them to wipe their feet.

Once they removed their helmets (and if they were not overpowered by their own smell, as suggested by John T) they probably smelled the dust.

So, yes, it is possible to smell on the Moon, as long as you are in a pressurized cabin.

If you removed your helmet while 'outside' and if you threw a handful of dust up your own nose, would you be able to smell it (if it does have a smell) before dying? Probably.

I can picture the made-for-TV scenario where astronauts are caught outside and cannot survive unless they identify the nature of the dust covering the surface. One courageous astronaut quickly removes his helmet, throws dust up his nose and then tries to put the helmet back on.

Will he be able to smell the dust? Will he be able to put his helmet back on in time? We'll know after the car commercial.

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Corey D is probably right. That dust would be too dry, irritating to the nasal mucus and sharp-edged. So, the viewers might be in for bad news when the commercial is over.

Answer 3

Olfactory (smell) senses depends on tiny particles entering the naval cavity. This implies some sort of carrier of the particles - an atmosphere. Since the moon has no atmosphere, this doesn't work.

I am certain that the Apollo astronauts were quite aware of their stench inside the lander - not showering in four days will do that to you.

Answer 4

In science fiction, you see astronauts who meet death when their helmets are removed and they are seen choking for a few seconds.

In reality, it would be an instant bloody implosion, because no pressure means nothing to hold you together. Yuck!

The same for deep sea creatures brought to the surface. They simply turn inside-out.

I'm sure with all the moon samples they brought back, you can certainly smell it anywhere there is an atmosphere that supports our form of life.

Answer 5

Outside of a contained atmospheric environment, like a space suit, no. There is not enough gravity to maintain even a weak atmosphere of gas molecules for your nose to detect.

Answer 6

Apollo astronauts reported that when they returned to the lunar module after walking on the moon, that lunar dust that collected on the outside of their suits had a "burnt" odor to it.

Answer 7

If you fart in your space suit on the moon and no one is around to hear it will you make a sound? And if you didn't make a sound will it smell?

Answer 8

You would probably be choking too much to notice a smell.