Research Catalog

Title

The once and future moon / Paul D. Spudis.

Author

Spudis, Paul D.

Publication

Washington : Smithsonian Institution Press, [1996], ©1996.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

xi, 308 pages : illustrations (some color), maps; 24 cm.

Summary

• The Once and Future Moon describes the scientific legacy of the 1960s Apollo landings as well as the 1994 Clementine mission, which led to the first global mapping of the Moon and the unexpected discovery of ice in the areas near its south pole.
• Spudis presents a detailed picture of the Moon's composition and geological history: he describes the domes, cones, and channels created by its now inactive volcanoes, as well as the four billion years of bombardment evident in the regolith - a layer of dust and rock debris that thickly covers the lunar surface. He traces the evolution and properties of the Moon's crust and explains the currently accepted but unproven "Big Whack" theory of lunar origin.
• . The Moon, Spudis contends, is a kind of Rosetta stone, enabling us to read the otherwise indecipherable text of planetary evolution. The far side of the Moon, uniquely shielded from Earth's electrical din, offers a quiet, stable site for unprecedented observations of the universe. Even a small array of telescopes situated there would far exceed the resolving capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope.
• Providing an evenhanded chronicle of the fluctuating fortunes of the U.S. space program, this book presents as well a rational plan for humanity's return to the Moon.

Series Statement

Smithsonian library of the solar system

Uniform Title

Smithsonian library of the solar system.

Alternative Title

Moon

Subject

• Moon

Note

• Series statement from jacket.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 292-301) and index.

Contents

1. To Study the Moon -- 2. The World of the Moon -- 3. The Exploration of the Moon -- 4. A Fall of Moondust: The Regolith -- 5. The Fire Inside: Volcanism and Tectonism in the Maria -- 6. The Terrae: Formation and Evolution of the Crust -- 7. Whence the Moon? -- 8. A Return to the Moon -- 9. Why? Four Reasons to Return to the Moon -- 10. How? Steps in the Exploration and Use of the Moon -- 11. When? What's Holding Us Back? -- App. 1. Basic Data about the Moon -- App. 2. Robotic Missions to the Moon -- App. 3. Human Missions to the Moon -- App. 4. Conversion of Units: Metric to English -- App. 5. Moon Places: Museums, Visitor's Centers, and Worthwhile Places to Visit -- Glossary: People, Places, and Terms -- A Lunatic's Library: An Annotated Bibliography of Important Books, Articles, and Videos about the Moon.

ISBN

1560986344 (alk. paper)

LCCN

95051343

OCLC

• 33971931
• ocm33971931

Owning Institutions

Columbia University Libraries