I have not heard or read anything about it, but have they considered putting a telescope on the moon?

Question

Seems like it would be ideal if it didn't get clobbered with an occasional meteor or two.

Answer 1

Yes, lots of people would like to put a telescope on the Moon.

Here's a recent proposal to put a telescope with a liquid mirror on the Moon: http://www.wired.com/science/space/news/2007/05/liquid_telescope

A lot of people would like to put radio telescopes on the far side of the Moon, since those would be completely shielded from radio transmissions from Earth. For example: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1735.html

The big problem with putting telescopes (or anything else) on the Moon is dust more than meteorite impacts. The Moon is covered in a very fine dust that gets in everything. This makes it a challenge to put just about anything mechanical on the Moon. It tends to put a lot of wear on ball bearings, for example. If you go to the Smithsonian Museum, you can see some used space suits from the Apollo missions. They're completely filthy, despite having been extensively cleaned. You just can't get that dust out.

This question has also been on NASA's Ask an Astrophysicist: http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:hOG2zwqwtWkJ:imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/970528a.html

Answer 2

There are currently no specific plans for building any that have been made public, though they probably plan to as a matter of course.

The far side of the moon is an excellent place for telescopes, especially radio ones, because it's sheltered from the "noise" coming from the Earth. Dust is not so much a problem because it's on the ground, except that Apollo data suggests moon dust may become "electrostatically levitated" about a meter above the ground. This would have to be dealt with, of course.

There's an article in October "Sky & Telescope" dealing with your question. Get it if you can.

Answer 3

NO

1.) The surface of the Moon is covered with a light dust which would interfere with the performance of all lens and mirror surfaces over extended periods of time.

2.) Space based orbiting telescopes are free of this dust problem and much closer to rendezvous with for servicing, maintenance and upgrades. It is much easier to travel 100 or 200 Miles to work on a telescope orbiting the Earth than it is to travel 240,000 Miles to the Moonb to do the same thing.

3.) The International Space Station is an intermediate stop of point for most present space missions. It would take little in the way of effort to move from the ISS to a suitable telescope orbit close to the Earth. On the other hand, it would take a major mission project to transport a telescope to the Moon and set it up for usage.

Answer 4

More than just one.

The radio-telescope for the far side could be as "simple" as a long stretch of metalized plastic foil.

The optical telescopes might be liquid mirrors. They are made of a large spinning tub of a special liquid which forms a parabolic surface.

Google "lunar telescope" if you want to learn more.