WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
An Unrealized Project by Reynard Loki http://wrappedmoonproject.blogspot.com/
BACKGROUND
On February 16, 1998, using the pseudonym of Red Q. Nary, I sent out the following e-mail to Woody Smith, the Curator of website of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters (NASA):
Hello-
My name is Red Nary and I am a New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essentially involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your ideas concerning this project would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Red Nary New York City February 1999
I have since sent this e-mail to various astronomers, both professional and amateur, and have received over 30 e-mails, spurring on various discussions about the plausibility of this project. A work in progress with no actual end date, I will continue to develop the discourse around this idea, collecting all of the correspondence. The following pages are some of the e-mails I have received responding to my query.
Reynard Loki New York City March 30, 1999
Hello-
My name is Red Nary and I am a New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essentially involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your ideas concerning this project would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Red Nary New York City February 1999
Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,6:21:32 PM From: galaxies@delphi.com (Toney Burkhart) To: Rednary@aol.com
Lol! ROTF,
Good luck!
Toney Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,6:57:37 PM From: billa@znet.com (Bill Arnett) To: Rednary@aol.com
If you can wrap the Moon in titanium why not just create a hollow titanium shell the same size as the Moon but orbiting the Earth at one of the Moon's Lagrange points instead. It would stay there with only a little station keeping effort. It would be the Earth's second Moon. Very pretty. Then fill it with air and live inside!
Bill Arnett "Quantum Mechanics: Emerald Hills, CA 37N 122W the dreams stuff is made of" billa@zNet.com <URL:http://www.seds.org/billa/>
Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,10:43:33 PM From: timbob@clear.net.nz To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com BCC: Rednary
From: timbob@clear.net.nz (Tim Maynard) Sender: shallow-sky-errors@lists.best.com To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Hi All!
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essential involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
ART!!!!! This seems little more than vandalism to me.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
At the very limits!!! Beyond the limits, I would say.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
This project would be a complete waste of time, money. If you want something to do with the Billions of dollars necessary for such a crazy undertaking, help the millions of poor, hungry, sick and dying people in the Earth.
Clear Skies, Tim Maynard Committee Member, Southland Astronomical Society Invercargill, New Zealand 168º 37' East, 46º 41' South http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/8002/
From: ltramiel@best.com To: Rednary@aol.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,11:33:06 PM
I can't believe that this nonsense was meant to be taken seriously. If it was, see below
-Leonard
-----Original Message----- From: Rednary@aol.com Rednary@aol.com To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com shallow-sky@lists.best.com Date: Monday, March 08, 1999 12:40 PM Subject: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Hello-
My name is Red Nary and I am a New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essentially involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
Is there enough titanium on the planet to do this? How much would it cost to deliver material to the moon? What would you do with the wrapping when you were done with it? Are you aware that the moon keeps one side facing away from earth so no one on earth would see half the wrapping?
From another point of view. I like looking at the moon the way it is now. LEAVE IT ALONE. (Not the you have the slightest hope of pulling this lunacy (:-)) off
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
Yeah right
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your team? Where does a conceptual artist get a team of scientists. Where do you get scientists that could keep a straight face upon hearing such a proposal?
Subject: Re: WFW OT: WRAPPED MOON PROJECT (fwd) Date: 3/8/99,11:37:33 PM From: missioncontrol13@juno.com To: Rednary@aol.com
From: missioncontrol13@juno.com To: Rednary@aol.com From the perspective of an ameteur astronomer, I think this is the STUPIDIST thing I have ever heard!
If you have such a desire to wrap something big, why not try wrapping Monica L. She's got a moon and it's almost as big!
Mary Seattle WA
On Mon, 08 Mar 1999 16:58:30 -0800 Julie Burger fjb@sos.net writes:
This is from the Shallow Sky mailing list, but I am forwarding it to the SAS for your entertainment. :-)
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 14:37:10 EST From: Rednary@aol.com To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Subject: Re: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/9/99,11:21:04 AM From: ferreira1@llnl.gov (James Ferreira) To: Rednary@aol.com
Hi Red
I have been reading the various postings on the SHALLOW list and you have been receiving some splendid comments and recommendations along with the expected ridicule. A number of great points of view have been presented, all suggesting that your mission is an impossibility. But that remains to be seen. Being involved with material science I should point out to you that one of the biggest problems that you are going to encounter is obtaining enough Titanium for your project. Though the material is available in large quantities here in the states and some of Europe, for the most part it is a rare material in the world and closely monitored in many countries. High tech industries will not take your use of such vast amounts of the worlds supply of Ti very lightly, even if you could recover the material and return it to Earth.
Not to suggest that you admit defeat so early in your project, but you might consider another avenue that could accomplish some of what you wish to do and might find more support from the space science community. Perhaps a very large Titanium foil disk could be constructed, perhaps 1/10 the Moon's diameter. It could be built in earth orbit then deployed to lunar orbit and would occult the lunar disk periodically completely blocking out the moon for short periods of time. The orbiting disk would also occult stars viewed from earth and would provide valuable information on the stars involved as monitored from earth. The disk could also be used to create artificial solar eclipses which would be well received by the scientific community, no doubt, for the study of the solar corona and such. Then after a time the disk could either be retrieved or sent into the solar system to perhaps create occultations of other planetary bodies, again providing valuable data on the atmospheres of neighboring planets.
Just a thought. Good luck to you.
Clear Skies, Jim Ferreira
Livermore, California http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/canterbury/222/astro.htm From: archer@meer.net (Archer Sully) Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/9/99,11:44:18 AM From: archer@meer.net To: Rednary@aol.com
Immediately what comes to mind is "Who do you think you are, Christo!?"
The next that comes to mind is that such a project is well beyond the realm of current technology, simply due to the masses involved.
The next is that you are likely to get a lot of hate mail from amateur astronomers who have no sense of humor.
Finally, I have to wonder about what you might be trying to say by "wrapping the moon"? While I acknowledge that art doesn't have to say anything, I would think that a project of such magnitude would want to make some sort of statement other than "As a civilization we have too much time and money on our hands."
-- archer From: James Husnay Sr. [jhusnay@scsinet.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 8:22 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] Enjoying the Moon as it is.
I hope this isn't to far off topic as I've read and chuckled at some of the wit that can be produced by the human mind regarding the reply's to "Rappin' (with) the moon". It surely is all "rap". (Isn't it?)
With your permission and on a more serious note it was "Rappin' (with) the moon" that causes my reply in a different art form. "Writin' about it". Several weeks ago I collaborated with a well known Syracuse Science writer and self proclaimed "Solar Eclipse Chaser" regarding the origins and meaning of the "Blue Moon" and its relationship to the Blue Moons of 1999 that occurred in January and presently in March. His writing was published in the Syracuse Post-Standard on the morning of the 1st full moon of March on March 2nd.
Since the timely topic "Rapin' (with) the Moon" has been taking up so much space as of late I thought you should be made aware of this little known to you article that was written by Mr. James Ehmann. "Blue Moons sandwiching February are quite rare". It was filled with fun and facts about these moons and took up almost a half page of the morning paper. Although credit was given to a number of sources, Mr. Ehmann ended with, especially Lunar Hobbyist James Husnay Sr. (Please I'm not trying to be boastful because I knew I would be recognized, I was quite surprised with the "especially" myself.)
I don't have the means to reproduce the copy which some of you might or might not be interested in but since I did receive a number of phone calls during the day and that evening regarding the article, it led me to write the following on the very next morning March 3rd which shouldn't take to much of your precious time. It was published in the Syracuse papers Post-Standard yesterday morning March 9th and is as follows;
Looking Closely at Moon Gives Striking Views
I thoroughly enjoyed reading James Ehmann's " Blue Moons sandwiching February are quite rare." Although I was recognized as one of the sources to this article's being, I thought of my role as minuscule.
Over the past few weeks I've read many articles about the 1999 Blue Moons' presence and the origins of why the moon is sometimes called "Blue."
Reading Ehmann's concise chronicle about our closest celestial neighbor, with facts I was even unaware of, causes me to say it is the best I've read.
From the calls I've received, I believe Ehmann created a great deal of interest in a well-known object that unfortunately, by human standards, is little-known, even to the average backyard-astronomer.
Although barren, the moon is a beautiful place to visit, whether it's done naked eye or telescopically, and it can be done on almost any clear night. Being able to observe the craters can be breathtaking, but looking deeper upon its intricate lunar surface of wrinkled ridges, domes and the solitary mountain peaks that appear with each sunrise on the moon is nothing less than striking.
One thing for certain about the moon: It is constantly changing in its cyclical time and nightly phases, and because of it on March 31st at 5:49 p.m. (EST) you are going to be treated to a rare event in human time.
If you're an aspiring amateur backyard-astronomer, you too can find sandwiched in between the clouds and the rain and the snow loads of fun enjoying the moon and the universe. You should. It's yours. END
BTW: Maybe Mr. Nary as a "conceptual artist" would consider this. Wrapping a few sandwiches with "Saran Wrap", then placing them in a picnic-basket and going out to Central Park where he can now sit within the now safe confines of the Parks grounds and look at the moon, especially on March 31st. If not cloudy, he with his artist and scientist friend's, as there should be plenty of "Saran Wrap" to go around, can possibly observe the moon continuously and un-endingly for the next few decades with the most effective "conceptual art form" known to the "Human Species" - DREAMIN' - and "enjoying the moon as it is." I know I'll be lookin' and dreamin', cause I'm a Lunatic too.
From: Steve Condrey [snarf52@pacbell.net] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 5:37 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] Re: Wrapping the moon
Hell, I knew it was a troll all along! But some things just beg to be hacked to pieces like this! For that matter, he may just be a kid with a legitimate (to him) question and was afraid of being blown off, so he made up the whole conceptual artist thing. So why not at least provide some useful data?
-- Steve Condrey Orange County Astronomers Anaheim California USA 33d 50m 6s N 117d 54m 48s W Elev. 110 ft UTC -8 Website: http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/98/index.htm New Stuff Added Constantly!
From: Jim Manno [j-manno@nwu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 11:26 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] Re: Wrapping the moon
Lighten up, you guys!
My take on this is the following:
1) Wrapping the moon is clearly impossible.
2) Therefore, the "conceptual art" being described here is TO SEE JUST HOW RILED UP YOU GUYS GET OVER THIS IDEA.
My guess is that after the NEA grants funding for this project, you all will see your e-mail responses either nicely framed or part of a collage on a gallery wall somewhere.
From: Jeff Medkeff [medkeff@c2i2.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 11:00 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] 1999 Planetary Observations
Ah, getting away from the 'lets wrap the moon' troll for a minute, I'd like to mention that I just put up a page for solar system observations during the 1999 oppositions and apparitions. I've started it off with a quick sketch I made yesterday of a sunspot group currently prominent on the sun. I'll add some Mars fairly soon. The page can be found at:
http://shutter.vet.ohio-state.edu/astronomy/app1999/index.htm
Last year's page was pretty popular even though I rarely updated it. If this year's page gets as many hits as last year's, I promise not to let the cobwebs accumulate there too fast.
-- Jeff Medkeff | Acting Assistant Coordinator Rockland Observatory | Association of Lunar and Planetary Hereford, Arizona | Observers, Solar Section
On the web at http://shutter.vet.ohio-state.edu/
From: ykChia [chiayk@singnet.com.sg] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:59 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] Rappin' Moon
Hi: Suggest wrap up the moon with nonreflecting material so that we can have extended dark sky w/o moon's interence. ( sorry lunar observer, take a break )...
rgds ykChia
My Web site at http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Cockpit/9033/
From: Er451@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 8:28 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
many build-boards out there you can find<<
Oops, that should be billboards, not build-boards. The hazard of answering email when half awake and not having any caffeine first :).
Clear Skies,
Eric
From: RMOLLISE@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 7:51 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] red nary revisited...
In a message dated 3/9/99 12:38:19 AM Central Standard Time, dsinger@cet.com writes:
<< My husband who is from Chelm, New York, suggests that you go for the big one. Wrap the Sun instead. Just do it at night so that the light doesn't bother you. Mary >>
Naaag! Let's let Red start out simple and just do Jupiter! :-)
Peace, Rod
From: Er451@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 7:37 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
In a message dated 3/8/99 3:26:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, Rednary@aol.com writes:
<< My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your ideas concerning this project would be greatly appreciated. >>
Hi Red:
I assume this is a joke...
If not, I think it is a terrible idea. As much as I appreciate art, I, and I am sure many people on this list, would consider the moon to be a work of art, which would not be improved upon by "wrapping" it. Leave it as it is. If you want to wrap something to improve it's look I am sure there are many build- boards out there you can find.
Sincerely,
Eric Jamison
From: Steve Condrey [snarf52@pacbell.net] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 1:58 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] Rappin' Moon
It just occurred to me also: once they get done wrapping the moon, how are they going to get their crew back to Earth without punching holes through (and destroying) both their project and their vehicles? The ultimate example of "painting oneself into a corner" I suppose.
-- Steve Condrey Orange County Astronomers Anaheim California USA 33d 50m 6s N 117d 54m 48s W Elev. 110 ft UTC -8 Website: http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/98/index.htm New Stuff Added Constantly!
From: Steve Condrey [snarf52@pacbell.net] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 1:28 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Beat me to the punch, my friend! I was about to sit down and calculate just how much titanium it would take to do this little project. Titanium powder at 99.7% purity is running roughly US$25.00/lb. these days. Further sintering/extruding/rolling of the titanium into the parts one would need to accomplish wrapping the moon would more than likely boost the price considerably, probably even beyond the $1000/ton mark! The project assumes that there is enough titanium available to accomplish this chore available in the first place!
Consider this point also: according to my copy of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, titanium and its compounds are extremely efficient reflectors of infrared radiation (our solar observing friends can tell you that titanium-based paints are used in solar observatories to reduce or mitigate poor seeing conditions created by heat). Now, if the moon were to suddenly start reflecting nearly 100% of the IR radiation it receives back to Earth, what would the consequences to Earth's climate, ecology, population, etc. be?
Not only that, but (as many others have stated) this project is totally ridiculous and just about anything would be a better use of humanity's resources. Considerably less money could go a long way toward promoting real art in the schools and amongst the public in general, and toward funding artists whose projects are somewhat more within the realm of current technology. And then there are those kids in Africa...
Steve Condrey Orange County Astronomers Anaheim California USA 33d 50m 6s N 117d 54m 48s W Elev. 110 ft UTC -8 Website: http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/98/index.htm New Stuff Added Constantly!
From: Singer Family [dsinger@cet.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 11:23 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] red nary revisited...
Red, My husband who is from Chelm, New York, suggests that you go for the big one. Wrap the Sun instead. Just do it at night so that the light doesn't bother you. Mary 47.6 North
From: Tim Maynard [timbob@clear.net.nz] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 10:51 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Well said Rod!
Clear Skies, Tim Maynard
From: Tim Maynard [timbob@clear.net.nz] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:23 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Hi All!
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essential involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
ART!!!!! This seems little more than vandalism to me.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
At the very limits!!! Beyond the limits, I would say.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
This project would be a complete waste of time, money. If you want something to do with the Billions of dollars necessary for such a crazy undertaking, help the millions of poor, hungry, sick and dying people in the Earth.
Clear Skies, Tim Maynard Committee Member, Southland Astronomical Society Invercargill, New Zealand 168º 37' East, 46º 41' South http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/8002/
From: Singer Family [dsinger@cet.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:34 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] wrapped red nary
Moon wrap? Does the national endowment for the arts know about this? You want to get congressional funding? Given the current congressional attitudes towards "conceptual" art, remind them that you can cut costs by 50% by only wrapping the part that faces Earth. Kenneth, what is the frequency? Mary 47.6 north
From: Jim Moore [hollin@dwcs.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:09 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: RE: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
With all due respect, WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING!!!!!!!!! Maybe we DO need the NEA to fund out-of-work artists so they don't become "lunatics"!
Clear Skies, Jim
From: RMOLLISE@aol.com Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 7:47 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
In a message dated 3/8/99 6:43:11 PM Central Standard Time, rcasady@carmelcoast.com writes:
<< Since many terrestrial life-forms calibrate their reproductive systems on moonlight, altering the brightness of the Moon might have serious ecological consequences.
>
Yep...been doin' that since the sixties, dude! :-)
Peace, rod
From: Nick Martin [nmartin@bonnyton.u-net.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 7:33 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Assuming the density of titanium is 4.5g/cm3, 1 square kilometere of 1 micrometre thick titanium film, about as thin as would be remotely feasible to use, would weigh 4.5 tonnes. The surface area of the visible half of the moon is about 18million square kilometres so that would require about 82 million tonnes of this very thin titanium sheet if the moon was a smooth sphere far moore to cover the rough lunar surface. I cannot find any current prices for titanium but if you could cut the cost to 1000 dollars a ton that would be 82 billion dollars worth.Plus the cost of all the labour, rocketry, fuel etc. There is also the environmental contamination from all the bits of titanium left over when the film tears after use. It seems a very expensive work of art. Nick Martin, Bonnyton House, By Ayr, Ayrshire KA6 7EW ,Scotland, UK. Latitude 55 24'56" Longtitude 4 26' 00". "Eppur si muove" Galileo Galilei
From: Ken Poshedly [ken.poshedly@mindspring.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 7:34 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
At 02:37 PM 3/8/99 EST, you wrote:
Surely, you jest. Or is this an attempt to troll and get everyone fired up while you sneak out for a brewski?
Hi Red:
This is a joke, right?! Really had me goin' there for a minute! YUK, YUK!! :-)
But just in case this is, by some faint chance, not a TROLL OR JOKE, please read the matter below....
Cautionary warning: The text below is not intended as a flame...you asked for opinions, though, so here one is! :-)
If NOT a joke or troll, it's one of the MOST HAREBRAINED SCHEMES I've ever heard of no...I take that back. This is THE most harebrained scheme I've ever heard of! For starters, this is completely impossible with today's technology, and if you could conceive of a way to do it, you'd never be able to raise the money it'd take. Thank God!
Do you and your buddies have any idea how BIG THE MOON IS!? What do ya think? Maybe about the size of the parkin' lot at the mall? Nope. Well, then, maybe about the size of....Manhattan Island (that's pretty big, right?)? Guess again, Clem. Try 3,476 kilometers in diameter! Any idea how much AREA that is? Why not start out EASY by 'wrapping' every square foot of the continental U.S. for practice!
Are any of the 'scientists' involved in this physicists or astronomers or planetary scientists!? Any engineers on board!?
My opinion, technical concerns aside? You should forget this silly foolishness. For Christ's sake, show a little respect for Luna, would ya! She's not some spoiled supermarket cheese to be wrapped in cellophane! You want beauty? You want meaning? Try just looking at Hecate's beautiful and shining face. How often have you done that? Seldom, I'd guess, or you wouldn't think about things like this!
Instead of turning our beloved satellite into a mall trinket, why not use those billions of dollars you'd spend on this on a small telescope for every classroom in the world?! For the countless dollars you'd spend on this, you could probably even put a small telescope in the hands of every schoolchild on the planet--something which would REALLY do some good!
As you can see, if you've read the above, my feelings about projects like this are a little...strong! :-)
The Moon is for dreamers, and scientists, and explorers and lovers...NOT for the saran wrap brigade!
Peace, Rod
From: Robin Casady [rcasady@carmelcoast.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 5:10 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Since many terrestrial life-forms calibrate their reproductive systems on moonlight, altering the brightness of the Moon might have serious ecological consequences.
-- Robin Casady http://www.CarmelCoast.com
Casady & Greene, Inc. http://www.casadyg.com
From: SteppZimmr@aol.com Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 4:56 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Hi Red,
A little early for April Fool's, isn't it?
But assuming you are serious, as a New York resident, you must be aware that the great state of Virginia has refused Gotham's garbage. Putting aside the avalanche of objections to your project that will appear and the questions regarding sources of funding, what does one do with the foil when the moon is, as I trust it will, eventually unwrapped?
And I cannot resist quoting the formidable Don Fox ( a much esteemed regular on these boards, "And the curtain rises..."
Peter in Manhattan
Subject: Re: Re: Finding a Midpoint Between 2 Cities Date: 3/24/99,1:32:06 PM From: mferrari@usgs.gov To: Rednary@aol.com
From: mferrari@usgs.gov To: Rednary@aol.com
I've got a couple of ideas on how you could do this.
1) If you know of prominent landmarks at each of the endpoints, e.g. City Hall or airport, you could site those on the appropiate 1:24000 topographic quadrangles and read off the lat/long directly from the maps.
2) The NOAA weather stations are also identified by their lat/long, so you could try finding weather stations in or near your endpoints, then use the lat/long from the station. The following is the URL for the NOAA weather station homepage:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ol/climate/stationlocator.html
3) There are companies that produce local street books for many areas. These street books are usually labeled with lat/long, so again it would just be a matter of finding a landmark in each site to use as you endpoint. One of the companies that produce map books for the Baltimore/D.C. area is ADC (1-800-ADC-MAPS), but I don't know if they produce maps for other areas.
4) You may be able to try a Web search of some of the online maps sites or other Web resources. The online map site I normally use is Maps On Us (http://www.mapsonus.com/) - you can get a map of the general area you want to see, then one of the options is to get a lat/long of any point on the map you click on. I just tried this option out on a map of DC - it's extremely easy and may be your best (and fastest) option.
Other possible sources of maps and cartographic information can be found at:
http://dir.yahoo.com/Science/Geography/Cartography/Maps/
Good luck. I hope this helps you.
Matt Ferrari Hydrologist
Rednary@aol.com on 03/24/99 12:02:05 PM To: Matthew J Ferrari/USGS/DOI cc: Subject: Re: Re: Finding a Midpoint Between 2 Cities
Thanks, Matt!
That is extremely helpful info! But how can I get the exact lat/long of the endpoints without purchasing one of those expensive "Geo-locator" instruments?
Are there publically available documents of this kind of stuff?
Red
----------------------- Headers -------------------------------- Return-Path: mferrari@usgs.gov Received: from rly-yc03.mx.aol.com (rly-yc03.mail.aol.com [172.18.149.35]) by air-yc02.mail.aol.com (v58.13) with SMTP; Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:32:06 -0500 Received: from whsys.er.usgs.gov (whsys.er.usgs.gov [128.128.40.7]) by rly-yc03.mx.aol.com (8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0) with SMTP id NAA11885 for Rednary@aol.com; Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:32:00 -0500 (EST) From: mferrari@usgs.gov Received: by whsys.er.usgs.gov(Lotus SMTP MTA v4.6.1 (569.2 2-6-1998)) id 8525673E.0065F62C ; Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:33:41 -0500 X-Lotus-FromDomain: USGS To: Rednary@aol.com Message-ID: 8525673E.00628470.00@whsys.er.usgs.gov Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:31:04 -0500 Subject: Re: Re: Finding a Midpoint Between 2 Cities Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline
Subject: Re: Finding Midpoint Between Two Cities Date: 3/29/99,11:24:35 AM From: ESICMail@USGS.GOV To: Rednary@aol.com
From: ESICMail@USGS.GOV (esicmail)
To: Rednary@aol.com
Reply:
We do not have the means to provide you with an exact answer to your question. The best we can do is provide you with the geographic center of the conterminous U.S. (lower 48 states) which is located at Latitude North 39 degrees 50 minutes and Longitude West 98 degrees 35 minutes situates near Lebanon, Kansas.
Thank you for your inquiry.
Bruce Wallace
USGS-ESIC 507 National Center Reston, VA 20191
From: moon@space-watch.com Add to Address Book Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 09:21:49 -0800 To: Red Nary rednary@rocketmail.com Subject: Re: WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Dear Red,
The surface area of the Moon is approximately 37,939,288 square kilometers (15,175,715 square miles). This is more than four times the area of the entire United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). I don't know for sure, but I would bet a hefty sum that to cover this amount of area would take more material than all of the yards of cloth ever manufactured in the history of mankind.
Sounds like a pretty ambitious project you've got there. Of course, technically, you would only need to wrap half of the Moon, because only one half is visible from Earth, but even so - manufacturing and getting hundreds of millions of tons of material to the Moon would make building the Great Wall of China look like constructing a sand castle.
However, for the sake of argument, lets presume it could actually be done. If you could in fact wrap the Moon as you describe, it would have virtually no effect upon the tides or lunar gravity. The amount of mass transferred to the Moon would be miniscule compared to the total already there. The Moon would look different (especially if it were, say, pink), but probably the only other effect would be that all of the Earth's governments would be bankrupt after completing the project.
Please let us know before you begin this project, so that we can change all of the graphics on our site to the appropriate new color.
Thank you for visiting Moon-Watch. Please check back with us again to see what we (and the Moon) are up to.
Sincerely,
Bob Schreiner Director Moon-Watch.com
http://www.moon-watch.com Email: moon@space-watch.com
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:00:35 -0500 To: Red Nary rednary@rocketmail.com From: Woody Smith woody.smith@hq.nasa.gov Add to Address Book Subject: Re: WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
It would be "possible" but SO expensive (and ultimately pointless) that nobody will ever do it.
Woody Smith
NASA HQ WWW Curator
The truth is, we're all living on a little piece of dark matter inside the accretion disk of a black hole. Kinda makes you think.
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:18:19 -0800 To: Red Nary rednary@rocketmail.com From: Bill Arnett billa@znet.com Add to Address Book Subject: Re:
At 10:41 AM -0800 2/16/99, Red Nary wrote:
Hello-
My name Red Nary and I am New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know if it were possible to "wrap" the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
Possible, yes. Practical, forget it!
Would this affect anything but the look of the moon (e.g., gravity, tides, etc.)?
Nope. But you would have an awfully lot of people really mad at you!
Do you know the total surface area of the moon? ...
It's easy to compute from the radius: r=1738 km
a=4pir^2=38 million km^2=13.7 million sq mi.
WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
An Unrealized Project by Reynard Loki http://wrappedmoonproject.blogspot.com/
BACKGROUND
On February 16, 1998, using the pseudonym of Red Q. Nary, I sent out the following e-mail to Woody Smith, the Curator of website of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters (NASA):
Hello-
My name is Red Nary and I am a New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essentially involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your ideas concerning this project would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Red Nary New York City February 1999
I have since sent this e-mail to various astronomers, both professional and amateur, and have received over 30 e-mails, spurring on various discussions about the plausibility of this project. A work in progress with no actual end date, I will continue to develop the discourse around this idea, collecting all of the correspondence. The following pages are some of the e-mails I have received responding to my query.
Reynard Loki New York City March 30, 1999
Hello-
My name is Red Nary and I am a New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essentially involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your ideas concerning this project would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Red Nary New York City February 1999
Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,6:21:32 PM From: galaxies@delphi.com (Toney Burkhart) To: Rednary@aol.com
Lol! ROTF,
Good luck!
Toney Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,6:57:37 PM From: billa@znet.com (Bill Arnett) To: Rednary@aol.com
If you can wrap the Moon in titanium why not just create a hollow titanium shell the same size as the Moon but orbiting the Earth at one of the Moon's Lagrange points instead. It would stay there with only a little station keeping effort. It would be the Earth's second Moon. Very pretty. Then fill it with air and live inside!
Bill Arnett "Quantum Mechanics: Emerald Hills, CA 37N 122W the dreams stuff is made of" billa@zNet.com <URL:http://www.seds.org/billa/>
Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,10:43:33 PM From: timbob@clear.net.nz To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com BCC: Rednary
From: timbob@clear.net.nz (Tim Maynard) Sender: shallow-sky-errors@lists.best.com To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Hi All!
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essential involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
ART!!!!! This seems little more than vandalism to me.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
At the very limits!!! Beyond the limits, I would say.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
This project would be a complete waste of time, money. If you want something to do with the Billions of dollars necessary for such a crazy undertaking, help the millions of poor, hungry, sick and dying people in the Earth.
Clear Skies, Tim Maynard Committee Member, Southland Astronomical Society Invercargill, New Zealand 168º 37' East, 46º 41' South http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/8002/
From: ltramiel@best.com To: Rednary@aol.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/8/99,11:33:06 PM
I can't believe that this nonsense was meant to be taken seriously. If it was, see below
-Leonard
-----Original Message----- From: Rednary@aol.com Rednary@aol.com To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com shallow-sky@lists.best.com Date: Monday, March 08, 1999 12:40 PM Subject: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Hello-
My name is Red Nary and I am a New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essentially involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
Is there enough titanium on the planet to do this? How much would it cost to deliver material to the moon? What would you do with the wrapping when you were done with it? Are you aware that the moon keeps one side facing away from earth so no one on earth would see half the wrapping?
From another point of view. I like looking at the moon the way it is now. LEAVE IT ALONE. (Not the you have the slightest hope of pulling this lunacy (:-)) off
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
Yeah right
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your team? Where does a conceptual artist get a team of scientists. Where do you get scientists that could keep a straight face upon hearing such a proposal?
Subject: Re: WFW OT: WRAPPED MOON PROJECT (fwd) Date: 3/8/99,11:37:33 PM From: missioncontrol13@juno.com To: Rednary@aol.com
From: missioncontrol13@juno.com To: Rednary@aol.com From the perspective of an ameteur astronomer, I think this is the STUPIDIST thing I have ever heard!
If you have such a desire to wrap something big, why not try wrapping Monica L. She's got a moon and it's almost as big!
Mary Seattle WA
On Mon, 08 Mar 1999 16:58:30 -0800 Julie Burger fjb@sos.net writes:
This is from the Shallow Sky mailing list, but I am forwarding it to the SAS for your entertainment. :-)
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 14:37:10 EST From: Rednary@aol.com To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Subject: Re: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/9/99,11:21:04 AM From: ferreira1@llnl.gov (James Ferreira) To: Rednary@aol.com
Hi Red
I have been reading the various postings on the SHALLOW list and you have been receiving some splendid comments and recommendations along with the expected ridicule. A number of great points of view have been presented, all suggesting that your mission is an impossibility. But that remains to be seen. Being involved with material science I should point out to you that one of the biggest problems that you are going to encounter is obtaining enough Titanium for your project. Though the material is available in large quantities here in the states and some of Europe, for the most part it is a rare material in the world and closely monitored in many countries. High tech industries will not take your use of such vast amounts of the worlds supply of Ti very lightly, even if you could recover the material and return it to Earth.
Not to suggest that you admit defeat so early in your project, but you might consider another avenue that could accomplish some of what you wish to do and might find more support from the space science community. Perhaps a very large Titanium foil disk could be constructed, perhaps 1/10 the Moon's diameter. It could be built in earth orbit then deployed to lunar orbit and would occult the lunar disk periodically completely blocking out the moon for short periods of time. The orbiting disk would also occult stars viewed from earth and would provide valuable information on the stars involved as monitored from earth. The disk could also be used to create artificial solar eclipses which would be well received by the scientific community, no doubt, for the study of the solar corona and such. Then after a time the disk could either be retrieved or sent into the solar system to perhaps create occultations of other planetary bodies, again providing valuable data on the atmospheres of neighboring planets.
Just a thought. Good luck to you.
Clear Skies, Jim Ferreira
Livermore, California http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/canterbury/222/astro.htm From: archer@meer.net (Archer Sully) Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT Date: 3/9/99,11:44:18 AM From: archer@meer.net To: Rednary@aol.com
Immediately what comes to mind is "Who do you think you are, Christo!?"
The next that comes to mind is that such a project is well beyond the realm of current technology, simply due to the masses involved.
The next is that you are likely to get a lot of hate mail from amateur astronomers who have no sense of humor.
Finally, I have to wonder about what you might be trying to say by "wrapping the moon"? While I acknowledge that art doesn't have to say anything, I would think that a project of such magnitude would want to make some sort of statement other than "As a civilization we have too much time and money on our hands."
-- archer From: James Husnay Sr. [jhusnay@scsinet.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 8:22 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] Enjoying the Moon as it is.
I hope this isn't to far off topic as I've read and chuckled at some of the wit that can be produced by the human mind regarding the reply's to "Rappin' (with) the moon". It surely is all "rap". (Isn't it?)
With your permission and on a more serious note it was "Rappin' (with) the moon" that causes my reply in a different art form. "Writin' about it". Several weeks ago I collaborated with a well known Syracuse Science writer and self proclaimed "Solar Eclipse Chaser" regarding the origins and meaning of the "Blue Moon" and its relationship to the Blue Moons of 1999 that occurred in January and presently in March. His writing was published in the Syracuse Post-Standard on the morning of the 1st full moon of March on March 2nd.
Since the timely topic "Rapin' (with) the Moon" has been taking up so much space as of late I thought you should be made aware of this little known to you article that was written by Mr. James Ehmann. "Blue Moons sandwiching February are quite rare". It was filled with fun and facts about these moons and took up almost a half page of the morning paper. Although credit was given to a number of sources, Mr. Ehmann ended with, especially Lunar Hobbyist James Husnay Sr. (Please I'm not trying to be boastful because I knew I would be recognized, I was quite surprised with the "especially" myself.)
I don't have the means to reproduce the copy which some of you might or might not be interested in but since I did receive a number of phone calls during the day and that evening regarding the article, it led me to write the following on the very next morning March 3rd which shouldn't take to much of your precious time. It was published in the Syracuse papers Post-Standard yesterday morning March 9th and is as follows;
Looking Closely at Moon Gives Striking Views
I thoroughly enjoyed reading James Ehmann's " Blue Moons sandwiching February are quite rare." Although I was recognized as one of the sources to this article's being, I thought of my role as minuscule.
Over the past few weeks I've read many articles about the 1999 Blue Moons' presence and the origins of why the moon is sometimes called "Blue."
Reading Ehmann's concise chronicle about our closest celestial neighbor, with facts I was even unaware of, causes me to say it is the best I've read.
From the calls I've received, I believe Ehmann created a great deal of interest in a well-known object that unfortunately, by human standards, is little-known, even to the average backyard-astronomer.
Although barren, the moon is a beautiful place to visit, whether it's done naked eye or telescopically, and it can be done on almost any clear night. Being able to observe the craters can be breathtaking, but looking deeper upon its intricate lunar surface of wrinkled ridges, domes and the solitary mountain peaks that appear with each sunrise on the moon is nothing less than striking.
One thing for certain about the moon: It is constantly changing in its cyclical time and nightly phases, and because of it on March 31st at 5:49 p.m. (EST) you are going to be treated to a rare event in human time.
If you're an aspiring amateur backyard-astronomer, you too can find sandwiched in between the clouds and the rain and the snow loads of fun enjoying the moon and the universe. You should. It's yours. END
BTW: Maybe Mr. Nary as a "conceptual artist" would consider this. Wrapping a few sandwiches with "Saran Wrap", then placing them in a picnic-basket and going out to Central Park where he can now sit within the now safe confines of the Parks grounds and look at the moon, especially on March 31st. If not cloudy, he with his artist and scientist friend's, as there should be plenty of "Saran Wrap" to go around, can possibly observe the moon continuously and un-endingly for the next few decades with the most effective "conceptual art form" known to the "Human Species" - DREAMIN' - and "enjoying the moon as it is." I know I'll be lookin' and dreamin', cause I'm a Lunatic too.
From: Steve Condrey [snarf52@pacbell.net] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 5:37 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] Re: Wrapping the moon
Hell, I knew it was a troll all along! But some things just beg to be hacked to pieces like this! For that matter, he may just be a kid with a legitimate (to him) question and was afraid of being blown off, so he made up the whole conceptual artist thing. So why not at least provide some useful data?
-- Steve Condrey Orange County Astronomers Anaheim California USA 33d 50m 6s N 117d 54m 48s W Elev. 110 ft UTC -8 Website: http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/98/index.htm New Stuff Added Constantly!
From: Jim Manno [j-manno@nwu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 11:26 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] Re: Wrapping the moon
Lighten up, you guys!
My take on this is the following:
1) Wrapping the moon is clearly impossible.
2) Therefore, the "conceptual art" being described here is TO SEE JUST HOW RILED UP YOU GUYS GET OVER THIS IDEA.
My guess is that after the NEA grants funding for this project, you all will see your e-mail responses either nicely framed or part of a collage on a gallery wall somewhere.
From: Jeff Medkeff [medkeff@c2i2.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 11:00 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] 1999 Planetary Observations
Ah, getting away from the 'lets wrap the moon' troll for a minute, I'd like to mention that I just put up a page for solar system observations during the 1999 oppositions and apparitions. I've started it off with a quick sketch I made yesterday of a sunspot group currently prominent on the sun. I'll add some Mars fairly soon. The page can be found at:
http://shutter.vet.ohio-state.edu/astronomy/app1999/index.htm
Last year's page was pretty popular even though I rarely updated it. If this year's page gets as many hits as last year's, I promise not to let the cobwebs accumulate there too fast.
-- Jeff Medkeff | Acting Assistant Coordinator Rockland Observatory | Association of Lunar and Planetary Hereford, Arizona | Observers, Solar Section
On the web at http://shutter.vet.ohio-state.edu/
From: ykChia [chiayk@singnet.com.sg] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:59 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] Rappin' Moon
Hi: Suggest wrap up the moon with nonreflecting material so that we can have extended dark sky w/o moon's interence. ( sorry lunar observer, take a break )...
rgds ykChia
My Web site at http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Cockpit/9033/
From: Er451@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 8:28 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
many build-boards out there you can find<<
Oops, that should be billboards, not build-boards. The hazard of answering email when half awake and not having any caffeine first :).
Clear Skies,
Eric
From: RMOLLISE@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 7:51 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] red nary revisited...
In a message dated 3/9/99 12:38:19 AM Central Standard Time, dsinger@cet.com writes:
<< My husband who is from Chelm, New York, suggests that you go for the big one. Wrap the Sun instead. Just do it at night so that the light doesn't bother you. Mary >>
Naaag! Let's let Red start out simple and just do Jupiter! :-)
Peace, Rod
From: Er451@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 7:37 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
In a message dated 3/8/99 3:26:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, Rednary@aol.com writes:
<< My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
Your ideas concerning this project would be greatly appreciated. >>
Hi Red:
I assume this is a joke...
If not, I think it is a terrible idea. As much as I appreciate art, I, and I am sure many people on this list, would consider the moon to be a work of art, which would not be improved upon by "wrapping" it. Leave it as it is. If you want to wrap something to improve it's look I am sure there are many build- boards out there you can find.
Sincerely,
Eric Jamison
From: Steve Condrey [snarf52@pacbell.net] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 1:58 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] Rappin' Moon
It just occurred to me also: once they get done wrapping the moon, how are they going to get their crew back to Earth without punching holes through (and destroying) both their project and their vehicles? The ultimate example of "painting oneself into a corner" I suppose.
-- Steve Condrey Orange County Astronomers Anaheim California USA 33d 50m 6s N 117d 54m 48s W Elev. 110 ft UTC -8 Website: http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/98/index.htm New Stuff Added Constantly!
From: Steve Condrey [snarf52@pacbell.net] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 1:28 AM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Beat me to the punch, my friend! I was about to sit down and calculate just how much titanium it would take to do this little project. Titanium powder at 99.7% purity is running roughly US$25.00/lb. these days. Further sintering/extruding/rolling of the titanium into the parts one would need to accomplish wrapping the moon would more than likely boost the price considerably, probably even beyond the $1000/ton mark! The project assumes that there is enough titanium available to accomplish this chore available in the first place!
Consider this point also: according to my copy of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, titanium and its compounds are extremely efficient reflectors of infrared radiation (our solar observing friends can tell you that titanium-based paints are used in solar observatories to reduce or mitigate poor seeing conditions created by heat). Now, if the moon were to suddenly start reflecting nearly 100% of the IR radiation it receives back to Earth, what would the consequences to Earth's climate, ecology, population, etc. be?
Not only that, but (as many others have stated) this project is totally ridiculous and just about anything would be a better use of humanity's resources. Considerably less money could go a long way toward promoting real art in the schools and amongst the public in general, and toward funding artists whose projects are somewhat more within the realm of current technology. And then there are those kids in Africa...
Steve Condrey Orange County Astronomers Anaheim California USA 33d 50m 6s N 117d 54m 48s W Elev. 110 ft UTC -8 Website: http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/98/index.htm New Stuff Added Constantly!
From: Singer Family [dsinger@cet.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 11:23 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] red nary revisited...
Red, My husband who is from Chelm, New York, suggests that you go for the big one. Wrap the Sun instead. Just do it at night so that the light doesn't bother you. Mary 47.6 North
From: Tim Maynard [timbob@clear.net.nz] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 10:51 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Well said Rod!
Clear Skies, Tim Maynard
From: Tim Maynard [timbob@clear.net.nz] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:23 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Hi All!
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know your thoughts on what has been dubbed the "WRAPPED MOON PROJECT," an art piece which essential involves the temporary "wrapping" of the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a titanium-based material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
ART!!!!! This seems little more than vandalism to me.
As you can imagine, this is an undertaking whose parameters exist at the very limits technological possibility.
At the very limits!!! Beyond the limits, I would say.
My exploratory team of artists and scientists are currently assembling an vast compendium of data regarding the WRAPPED MOON PROJECT, and we are trying to collect thoughts, opinions and recommendations from all facets of society.
This project would be a complete waste of time, money. If you want something to do with the Billions of dollars necessary for such a crazy undertaking, help the millions of poor, hungry, sick and dying people in the Earth.
Clear Skies, Tim Maynard Committee Member, Southland Astronomical Society Invercargill, New Zealand 168º 37' East, 46º 41' South http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/8002/
From: Singer Family [dsinger@cet.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:34 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: [SHALLOW] wrapped red nary
Moon wrap? Does the national endowment for the arts know about this? You want to get congressional funding? Given the current congressional attitudes towards "conceptual" art, remind them that you can cut costs by 50% by only wrapping the part that faces Earth. Kenneth, what is the frequency? Mary 47.6 north
From: Jim Moore [hollin@dwcs.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 9:09 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: RE: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
With all due respect, WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING!!!!!!!!! Maybe we DO need the NEA to fund out-of-work artists so they don't become "lunatics"!
Clear Skies, Jim
From: RMOLLISE@aol.com Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 7:47 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
In a message dated 3/8/99 6:43:11 PM Central Standard Time, rcasady@carmelcoast.com writes:
<< Since many terrestrial life-forms calibrate their reproductive systems on moonlight, altering the brightness of the Moon might have serious ecological consequences.
>
Yep...been doin' that since the sixties, dude! :-)
Peace, rod
From: Nick Martin [nmartin@bonnyton.u-net.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 7:33 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Assuming the density of titanium is 4.5g/cm3, 1 square kilometere of 1 micrometre thick titanium film, about as thin as would be remotely feasible to use, would weigh 4.5 tonnes. The surface area of the visible half of the moon is about 18million square kilometres so that would require about 82 million tonnes of this very thin titanium sheet if the moon was a smooth sphere far moore to cover the rough lunar surface. I cannot find any current prices for titanium but if you could cut the cost to 1000 dollars a ton that would be 82 billion dollars worth.Plus the cost of all the labour, rocketry, fuel etc. There is also the environmental contamination from all the bits of titanium left over when the film tears after use. It seems a very expensive work of art. Nick Martin, Bonnyton House, By Ayr, Ayrshire KA6 7EW ,Scotland, UK. Latitude 55 24'56" Longtitude 4 26' 00". "Eppur si muove" Galileo Galilei
From: Ken Poshedly [ken.poshedly@mindspring.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 7:34 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
At 02:37 PM 3/8/99 EST, you wrote:
Surely, you jest. Or is this an attempt to troll and get everyone fired up while you sneak out for a brewski?
Hi Red:
This is a joke, right?! Really had me goin' there for a minute! YUK, YUK!! :-)
But just in case this is, by some faint chance, not a TROLL OR JOKE, please read the matter below....
Cautionary warning: The text below is not intended as a flame...you asked for opinions, though, so here one is! :-)
If NOT a joke or troll, it's one of the MOST HAREBRAINED SCHEMES I've ever heard of no...I take that back. This is THE most harebrained scheme I've ever heard of! For starters, this is completely impossible with today's technology, and if you could conceive of a way to do it, you'd never be able to raise the money it'd take. Thank God!
Do you and your buddies have any idea how BIG THE MOON IS!? What do ya think? Maybe about the size of the parkin' lot at the mall? Nope. Well, then, maybe about the size of....Manhattan Island (that's pretty big, right?)? Guess again, Clem. Try 3,476 kilometers in diameter! Any idea how much AREA that is? Why not start out EASY by 'wrapping' every square foot of the continental U.S. for practice!
Are any of the 'scientists' involved in this physicists or astronomers or planetary scientists!? Any engineers on board!?
My opinion, technical concerns aside? You should forget this silly foolishness. For Christ's sake, show a little respect for Luna, would ya! She's not some spoiled supermarket cheese to be wrapped in cellophane! You want beauty? You want meaning? Try just looking at Hecate's beautiful and shining face. How often have you done that? Seldom, I'd guess, or you wouldn't think about things like this!
Instead of turning our beloved satellite into a mall trinket, why not use those billions of dollars you'd spend on this on a small telescope for every classroom in the world?! For the countless dollars you'd spend on this, you could probably even put a small telescope in the hands of every schoolchild on the planet--something which would REALLY do some good!
As you can see, if you've read the above, my feelings about projects like this are a little...strong! :-)
The Moon is for dreamers, and scientists, and explorers and lovers...NOT for the saran wrap brigade!
Peace, Rod
From: Robin Casady [rcasady@carmelcoast.com] Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 5:10 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Since many terrestrial life-forms calibrate their reproductive systems on moonlight, altering the brightness of the Moon might have serious ecological consequences.
-- Robin Casady http://www.CarmelCoast.com
Casady & Greene, Inc. http://www.casadyg.com
From: SteppZimmr@aol.com Sent: Monday, March 08, 1999 4:56 PM To: shallow-sky@lists.best.com Subject: Re: [SHALLOW] WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Hi Red,
A little early for April Fool's, isn't it?
But assuming you are serious, as a New York resident, you must be aware that the great state of Virginia has refused Gotham's garbage. Putting aside the avalanche of objections to your project that will appear and the questions regarding sources of funding, what does one do with the foil when the moon is, as I trust it will, eventually unwrapped?
And I cannot resist quoting the formidable Don Fox ( a much esteemed regular on these boards, "And the curtain rises..."
Peter in Manhattan
Subject: Re: Re: Finding a Midpoint Between 2 Cities Date: 3/24/99,1:32:06 PM From: mferrari@usgs.gov To: Rednary@aol.com
From: mferrari@usgs.gov To: Rednary@aol.com
I've got a couple of ideas on how you could do this.
1) If you know of prominent landmarks at each of the endpoints, e.g. City Hall or airport, you could site those on the appropiate 1:24000 topographic quadrangles and read off the lat/long directly from the maps.
2) The NOAA weather stations are also identified by their lat/long, so you could try finding weather stations in or near your endpoints, then use the lat/long from the station. The following is the URL for the NOAA weather station homepage:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ol/climate/stationlocator.html
3) There are companies that produce local street books for many areas. These street books are usually labeled with lat/long, so again it would just be a matter of finding a landmark in each site to use as you endpoint. One of the companies that produce map books for the Baltimore/D.C. area is ADC (1-800-ADC-MAPS), but I don't know if they produce maps for other areas.
4) You may be able to try a Web search of some of the online maps sites or other Web resources. The online map site I normally use is Maps On Us (http://www.mapsonus.com/) - you can get a map of the general area you want to see, then one of the options is to get a lat/long of any point on the map you click on. I just tried this option out on a map of DC - it's extremely easy and may be your best (and fastest) option.
Other possible sources of maps and cartographic information can be found at:
http://dir.yahoo.com/Science/Geography/Cartography/Maps/
Good luck. I hope this helps you.
Matt Ferrari Hydrologist
Rednary@aol.com on 03/24/99 12:02:05 PM To: Matthew J Ferrari/USGS/DOI cc: Subject: Re: Re: Finding a Midpoint Between 2 Cities
Thanks, Matt!
That is extremely helpful info! But how can I get the exact lat/long of the endpoints without purchasing one of those expensive "Geo-locator" instruments?
Are there publically available documents of this kind of stuff?
Red
----------------------- Headers -------------------------------- Return-Path: mferrari@usgs.gov Received: from rly-yc03.mx.aol.com (rly-yc03.mail.aol.com [172.18.149.35]) by air-yc02.mail.aol.com (v58.13) with SMTP; Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:32:06 -0500 Received: from whsys.er.usgs.gov (whsys.er.usgs.gov [128.128.40.7]) by rly-yc03.mx.aol.com (8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0) with SMTP id NAA11885 for Rednary@aol.com; Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:32:00 -0500 (EST) From: mferrari@usgs.gov Received: by whsys.er.usgs.gov(Lotus SMTP MTA v4.6.1 (569.2 2-6-1998)) id 8525673E.0065F62C ; Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:33:41 -0500 X-Lotus-FromDomain: USGS To: Rednary@aol.com Message-ID: 8525673E.00628470.00@whsys.er.usgs.gov Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 13:31:04 -0500 Subject: Re: Re: Finding a Midpoint Between 2 Cities Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline
Subject: Re: Finding Midpoint Between Two Cities Date: 3/29/99,11:24:35 AM From: ESICMail@USGS.GOV To: Rednary@aol.com
From: ESICMail@USGS.GOV (esicmail)
To: Rednary@aol.com
Reply:
We do not have the means to provide you with an exact answer to your question. The best we can do is provide you with the geographic center of the conterminous U.S. (lower 48 states) which is located at Latitude North 39 degrees 50 minutes and Longitude West 98 degrees 35 minutes situates near Lebanon, Kansas.
Thank you for your inquiry.
Bruce Wallace
USGS-ESIC 507 National Center Reston, VA 20191
From: moon@space-watch.com Add to Address Book Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 09:21:49 -0800 To: Red Nary rednary@rocketmail.com Subject: Re: WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
Dear Red,
The surface area of the Moon is approximately 37,939,288 square kilometers (15,175,715 square miles). This is more than four times the area of the entire United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). I don't know for sure, but I would bet a hefty sum that to cover this amount of area would take more material than all of the yards of cloth ever manufactured in the history of mankind.
Sounds like a pretty ambitious project you've got there. Of course, technically, you would only need to wrap half of the Moon, because only one half is visible from Earth, but even so - manufacturing and getting hundreds of millions of tons of material to the Moon would make building the Great Wall of China look like constructing a sand castle.
However, for the sake of argument, lets presume it could actually be done. If you could in fact wrap the Moon as you describe, it would have virtually no effect upon the tides or lunar gravity. The amount of mass transferred to the Moon would be miniscule compared to the total already there. The Moon would look different (especially if it were, say, pink), but probably the only other effect would be that all of the Earth's governments would be bankrupt after completing the project.
Please let us know before you begin this project, so that we can change all of the graphics on our site to the appropriate new color.
Thank you for visiting Moon-Watch. Please check back with us again to see what we (and the Moon) are up to.
Sincerely,
Bob Schreiner Director Moon-Watch.com
http://www.moon-watch.com Email: moon@space-watch.com
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:00:35 -0500 To: Red Nary rednary@rocketmail.com From: Woody Smith woody.smith@hq.nasa.gov Add to Address Book Subject: Re: WRAPPED MOON PROJECT
It would be "possible" but SO expensive (and ultimately pointless) that nobody will ever do it.
Woody Smith
NASA HQ WWW Curator
The truth is, we're all living on a little piece of dark matter inside the accretion disk of a black hole. Kinda makes you think.
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 12:18:19 -0800 To: Red Nary rednary@rocketmail.com From: Bill Arnett billa@znet.com Add to Address Book Subject: Re:
At 10:41 AM -0800 2/16/99, Red Nary wrote:
Hello-
My name Red Nary and I am New York-based conceptual artist.
I know this may sound totally crazy, but I wanted to know if it were possible to "wrap" the moon, by covering the moon's entire surface with a material whose color or shine would be visible from earth.
Possible, yes. Practical, forget it!
Would this affect anything but the look of the moon (e.g., gravity, tides, etc.)?
Nope. But you would have an awfully lot of people really mad at you!
Do you know the total surface area of the moon? ...
It's easy to compute from the radius: r=1738 km