What Kinds of Astronomy Could Be Done With a Telescope on the Moon?

Space and astronomy news

For decades, astronomers have said that one of the most optimal places to build large telescopes is on the surface of the Moon. The Moon has several advantages over Earth- and space-based telescopes that make it worth considering as a future home for giant observatories.

Over the years, scientists and engineers have proposed various ideas for lunar observatories as part of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program. Back in 2005 there was a proposal for aLong-Baseline Optical Imaging Interferometer since this “radio-quiet” zone always faces away from Earth and would provide the perfect location to study a variety of astronomical phenomena that can’t be observed in low radio frequencies from our planet, or even by Earth-orbiting space telescopes.

Using a variety of observational techniques, from photometry to high contrast and high angular resolution imaging, the astronomers suggested several ambitious science cases that could be tackled, including observations of our own Solar System – including our own planet Earth — as well as distant exoplanets and possible exomoons. They add that very high angular resolution would allow for the imaging of exoplanet transits or even the stellar glint on exo-ocean.

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