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quite possible that giant caverns exist within the Moon.’ Clamentine Topegraphic Map of the Moon MIT's Dr Sean C. Solomon wrote: "The ae Lunar Orbiter experiments vastly improved our knowledge of the moon's gravitational field...indicating the frightening possibility that the moon might be hollow." Why "frightening"? The significance was stated by astronomer Carl Sagan in his 1966 co- written work Intelligent Life in the Universe: "A natural satellite cannot be a hollow object.""! The most startling evidence that the Moon could be hollow came on 20 November 1969 when the Apollo 12 crew, after returning to their command ship, sent the lunar module (LM) ascent stage crashing back onto the Moon, creating an artificial moonquake. The LM struck the = surface about 40 miles from the Apollo 12 Clementine Topographic Map of the Moon (Near/Far Side) landing site, where ultra-sensitive seismic Image of Clementine laser altimetry (red = high; purple = low). equipment recorded something both (Source: Lunar and Planetary Institute) unexpected and astounding: the Moon reverberated Moon's core and back, and settle the issue. That like a bell for more than an hour. The vibration wave opportunity came on 13 May 1972 when a large meteor took almost eight minutes to reach a peak, and then _ struck the Moon with the equivalent force of 200 tons of decreased in intensity. TNT, sending shock waves deep into the interior of the At a news conference that day, one of the co-directors | Moon. Scientists were baffled to find that no shock of the seismic experiment, Maurice Ewing, told waves returned, confirming that there is something reporters that scientists were at a loss to explain the — unusual about the Moon's core, or lack thereof. ringing. "As for the meaning of it, I'd rather not make an Lunar scientist Dr Farouk El-Baz was quoted as saying: interpretation right now. But it is as though someone "There are many undiscovered caverns suspected to had struck a bell, say, in the belfry of a church, a single exist beneath the surface of the Moon. Several blow and found that the reverberation from it continued —_ experiments have been flown to the Moon to see if there for 30 minutes." It was later established that small vibrations had continued on Clementine Topographic Map of the Moon the Moon for more than an hour. Gonteurinterval 860 re The phenomenon was repeated when Apollo 13's third stage was sent crashing onto the Moon by radio command, striking with the equivalent of 11 tons of TNT. According to NASA, this time the Moon “reacted like a gong". Although seismic equipment was more than 108 miles from the crash site, recordings showed that the reverberations lasted for three hours and 20 minutes and travelled to a depth of 22 to 25 miles [35.42 to 40.25 kilometres]. Subsequent studies of man-made crashes on the Moon yielded similar results. After one impact, the Moon reverberated for four hours. This ringing, coupled with the density problem on the Moon, reinforces the idea of a hollow moon. Scientists hoped to Clementine Topographic Map of the Moon (East/West). record the impact of a meteor large Image of Clementine laser altimetry (red = high; purple = low) enough to send shock waves to the (Source: Lunar and Planetary Institute) Moon's core and back, and settle the issue. That opportunity came on 13 May 1972 when a large meteor struck the Moon with the equivalent force of 200 tons of TNT, sending shock waves deep into the interior of the Moon. Scientists were baffled to find that no shock waves returned, confirming that there is something unusual about the Moon's core, or lack thereof. Lunar scientist Dr Farouk El-Baz was quoted as saying: “There are many undiscovered caverns suspected to exist beneath the surface of the Moon. Several experiments have been flown to the Moon to see if there Clementine Topographic Map of the Moon Conteurintersal - fa m NEXUS ¢ 57 DECEMBER 2010 - JANUARY 20II www.nexusmagazine.com