Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ConfidentLo OP t1_ity2jgc wrote

Reply to comment by triffid_hunter in How Bright is Space from Low Earth Orbit? by ConfidentLo

So it’s as dark out there as it is on TV shows. I was thinking maybe it’s a lot brighter than we think.

4

triffid_hunter t1_ity3aty wrote

Without any atmospheric scattering, it's pitch black unless you're looking directly at a light source (gravitational lensing aside)

Still enough sunlight to make thermal management very important though - consider that the surface of the Moon hits 120°C during its day, and -130°C during its night ;)

14

ConfidentLo OP t1_ity3po8 wrote

Didn’t know the moon got that hot. Jesus.

4

triffid_hunter t1_ity49pj wrote

That's why all the moon landing photos have such long shadows and why the suits and craft were all painted white - they tried to land near the terminator to simplify thermal management ;)

7

gm310509 t1_ity4f2k wrote

If you live near a remote area, drive out there on a moon less night and have a look If you can get away from city lights and just stare up, you will see how black it is and the longer you stay there the more you will see.

If you are lucky, you will see shooting stars, maybe satellites (they are like shooting stars but much slower and do not blink like planes do) and maybe even what look like clouds starting to form but do not really move or change - that last one is all of the stars in our galaxy. If you have binoculars, look at the cloud or even individual stars and you will see them expand into clusters of stars!

6

Macktologist t1_ity550r wrote

My favorite is when you’re out camping somewhere away from lights and know where to look for star clusters or other DSOs and you can perceive them until you look directly at them because of the whole rods and cones eye thing.

2