Many studies exist on magmatic volatiles (H, C, N, F, S, Cl) in and on the Moon, within the last several years, that have cast into question the post-Apollo view of lunar formation, the distribution and sources of volatiles in the Earth-Moon system, and the thermal and magmatic evolution of the Moon. However, these recent observations are not the first data on lunar volatiles. When Apollo sampl...

Probably in no branch of the sciences is there such misuse of the term theory as in astronomy. This misuse finds its way into science magazines, TV and radio broadcasts, science news web sites, and even encyclopedias. Many of the conjectures about the solar system's formation are bantered as theories when they really are insufficiently scrutinized hypotheses. I think the Big Bang has adequate e...

This study investigates various models to represent the gross geometric shape of the Moon. Asymmetric polyaxial geometric modelsnamely three-, fourand six-axial lunar figure are compared and contrasted with the axially symmetric three-axis ellipsoidal model derived from Chang'e 1 and SELENE laser altimetry data. All solutions confirm a hydrostatically stable lunar shape shifted with respect to ...

Prominent in the sky, but not visible to humans, is a pattern of polarized skylight formed around both the Sun and the Moon. Dung beetles are, at present, the only animal group known to use the much dimmer polarization pattern formed around the Moon as a compass cue for maintaining travel direction. However, the Moon is not visible every night and the intensity of the celestial polarization pat...

This paper deals with spacecraft autonomous navigation in deep space missions. The considered problem is that of spacecraft localization based on angular measurements. The dynamic model of the spacecraft accounts for several perturbing effects, such as Earth and Moon gravitational field asymmetry and errors associated with the Moon ephemerides. The measurement process is based on elevation and ...