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>A telescope on the moon could be larger due to the reduced gravity, and have a better view without the atmosphere. Couldn't a telescope in space be even large
by desdiv 11y ago
>A telescope on the moon could be larger due to the reduced gravity, and have a better view without the atmosphere.
Couldn't a telescope in space be even larger, due to zero gravity?
Suppose we're modifying the James Webb to make it lunar based, wouldn't we need to add additional structural support in order for it to not collapse under lunar gravity? That would drive up the launch mass and thus cost.
- whorleater 11y agoAlong with fact that telescopes are incredibly expensive to maintain while they're in orbit, having a lunar telescope would be even more expensive to maintain. Plus lunar telescopes would be presumably bounded to the surface of the moon, which would make them less flexible in terms of observation since it'd be locked to the Moon's orbit.