A Moon Landing Q&A: Solar Winds & Astronauts

[Gaz]

I have a question about the moon landing . Wouldn't the solar winds kill any astronaut in space?

 

[Geofleur]

I'm no expert, but I think that even in space they are protected by Earth's magnetic field to some extent. But they do get pelted with various particles (mostly electrons, protons, and alpha particles). For example, I remember reading that an astronaut will see periodic flashes of light when a particle strikes her optic nerve!

I imagine that the walls of the spaceship would also offer some protection.

 

[phinds]

I have a question about the moon landing . Wouldn't the solar winds kill any astronaut in space?

Uh ... do you not believe that we have put astronauts in space (and landed some on the moon) and brought them home safely? If you DO believe that has happened, then your question should not be "would this not happen?" but rather "clearly this doesn't happen, but how can it not?".

This may sound like silly semantics to you but my point is that in any kind of scientific inquiry, it is important to phrase questions properly lest you build in a bias towards a particular answer.

 

[Gaz]

My question is simply a what about question. I neither believe nor dis-believe the moon landings I would like to believe there true but I ask because I am having a hard time believing the Van Allen belts would be much of a problem to a astronaut being that the particles in the belt would already be caught and slowed by the Earth's magnetic field where as the solar wind would be like the Van Allen belt on steroids or a solar system size particle accelerator. It seams to me the solar winds should be the main problem for astronauts so any info or thoughts about this is awsome =)

Geofleur I heard they get that to just in low Earth orbit nether mind father out. I don't think our magnetic field covers us for a trip to the moon though.

 

[PeterDonis]

I neither believe nor dis-believe the moon landings

You're off to a bad start here already. I don't know how old you are, but I'm old enough to have watched the Moon landings on television. Yes, they happened.

As for your OP question, as the PF rules will tell you, you should try Googling before asking a question to see if the answer is easily available already. Please do so. (You might also want to check your assumptions about the Van Allen belts not being an issue and about the extent of the Earth's magnetic field.) If, after you've done that, you have a more specific question, please open a new thread on that specific question. Thread closed.