Jade Rabbit

[jomifl]

I was looking at photos from the Chinese moon lander and noticed strange striations on the moon's surface, almost as if it had been swept carefully with a soft broom......
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/71743000/jpg/_71743769_71743191.jpg

[sandyRoe]

Its long been thought the Americans faked their moon landing why shouldn't the Chinese do the same? But whoever made that giveaway mistake with the besom should be in for a carpeting.

[jake-the-peg]

Is that from the landing area? in which case I would expect it to be due to the effect of the retro rockets

[jomifl]

jake, that was my first thought but the striations appear to be parallel, not radiating from a point, follow the contours of the surface and there appear to be several sets of striations a different angles. It is just odd.

[jomifl]

sandy :o)

[Graham-W]

They seem consistent with reindeer tracks and a large sack being pulled across the surface.

[joggerjayne]

Why don't they just take a photo of the landing craft, with the Earth in the background???

[joggerjayne]

According to the BBC website (link in the Related Post below)

the Lander and Rabbit aware going to photograph each other on Sunday.

If they did, and the Earth is in the background, that would be good.

[jake-the-peg]

Well that could be an optical effect - if you're far enough out from a point radial lines look parallel

[joggerjayne]

Why are they bothering to publish photos of, frankly, sh1tty bits of ground?

[joggerjayne]

If there's an issue about ... are the Chinese really there? ...

Wy don't we just get one of our telescopes that can see the far side of our galaxy, and point it at the Moon?

The Chinese rabbit thing would surely look as big as a juggernaut?

[jomifl]

jake, yes I agree, the lines probably are caused by the rocket exhaust. In a couple of places small pebbles appear to have been rolled along the surface in not quite straight lines.

[ToraToraTora]

not the hoax morons again please!

Hubble cannot resolve items smaller than approx 96 meters on the moon. It's a simple enough calculation. See Here: http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=134

[jomifl]

Tora3 thanks for the link

[solvitquick]

Dear sandyRoe,
"It's long been thought the Americans faked....". I think you must be the last person on Earth to still believe that one, lol.
Well said Jake & Tora.
What do the Chinese hope to add to our knowledge? Just proving that they can do it?
Ty jomifl,
SIQ.