Q&A: Philly Moon Men
We asked Philly’s lunar experts about water ice on the Moon, light pollution, and which Moon is the horniest Moon.
For the last few years, Bill Green and Brendan Happe have been working together as a duo called Philly Moon Men — which sounds like a band name, and in this way, maybe it is: They’re an information band. Together, Green and Happe go out into neighborhoods, collaborate with groups, to bring telescopes and knowledge to wherever they can, all under the concept of “sidewalk astronomy.” They teach about the stars, and light pollution, and not least a great vibe about learning in general. As educators who are docked with no institution but themselves, what they do is a kind of activism — they’re evangelists for science.
A couple of weeks back, we all learned that there's water ice on the Moon, which made for perhaps the only combined Philly/Moon combination news day we as mankind have ever experienced. Please give us your impressions.
Bill: I've never had water ice. Is that okay to confess? It's been 50 years since we landed on the Moon, and I think that's because after we landed there, we decided that it's really boring. But like all things in life, you learn something new when you take a closer look. Now, we're talking about mining the ice on the Moon so that astronauts can drink it and live there. That's something that even 10 years ago people never expected about a cold barren rock in the sky.
Brendan: We are in for a treat because the water ice discovered on the Moon is the catalyst for human space exploration. Cold, permanently shadowed craters on the Moon’s north and south poles house millions of tons of water ice. NASA’s Artemis program plans to land astronauts on the Lunar South Pole in 2024. The water ice on the Moon will be purified for drinking, and the oxygen and hydrogen can be separated into air to breathe and rocket fuel, respectively. It is amazing that our nearest celestial neighbor can propel human exploration of our Solar System, all because of water ice.
Since we're already here, what is edible on the Moon, that comes from the Moon? I don't suppose anyone would go there without packing a lunch, but who knows?
Bill: Last year, a Chinese rover sprouted seeds on the Moon. So maybe you won't have to pack a lunch, because there will be a garden salad waiting for you when you get there. Let's hope we don't end up with potatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, like Matt Damon did in the Martian.
When people think about space travel, there is always a lot of talk about how to survive there - what to bring, how to make things reusable and sustainable. The idea that our resources are limited and we have to use them wisely. I think it's an attitude we could really use back here on Earth, too.
Brendan: Imagine drinking the purified water from ice that has been frozen on the Moon for billions of years. Sounds refreshing. Since NASA’s plans for a Moon settlement cut through the fictions of science, I would not be surprised if the Moon water gave astronauts Moon superpowers.
What Philly Moon Men does seems very different from traditional educators who would be a part of a school or a museum. Is there a word for the style of educators you guys are?
Bill: It's something called Sidewalk Astronomy. It's the idea that if you want to teach people about science, you have to take it to the streets. I suppose you could call us a grassroots organization, but it's more than that. A lot of what we do, to me, is just about being a good neighbor, yknow?
We love to work with schools and museums, and in a way, we help them go where they couldn't go before. A lot of people who find science boring, it's because they're only ever seen it in a textbook and memorized it for a test, they never experienced it as a way of exploring and understanding the world. Most people we meet have never looked through a telescope before. Not in their entire life! You've got to meet people where they are, and that's why the perfect place to set up a telescope - is with everyone partying on South Street! Astronomy is the science that you can see for yourself.
And when you see the craters through an eyepiece, it's so beautiful that it stops you in your tracks. These people that all their lives thought they never related to science, they hang out all night and keep asking questions.
That's why I love our collaboration with the Da Vinci Art Alliance and Da Vinci Fest, because we're helping to get a community of extremely talented, creative artists in front of their neighbors. You're sparking intrigue for people who wouldn't go out of their way to look for it. And then they're hooked.
So I would call on anyone who has a passion for science, or a hobby or a craft: find a way to do it on the sidewalk. You'll meet people every day that didn't even know they'd be interested.
Brendan: I think the best word for our education style is grassroots. We happen to have an interest in something that we believe is important to share with everyone. Astronomy is something that has been guiding humanity for millennia, until light pollution stripped mankind of our view of the Universe. All we ever had to do was take our telescopes out onto the streets and let people see the Universe for themselves. You can call this sidewalk astronomy. All it takes is one look through our telescope to spark the curiosity of a passerby. The first time I ever saw the craters on the Moon was through Bill’s binoculars. On that same evening, we began sharing the view with the passerby of South street. The first time someone asked us, “How big is the Moon?” I didn’t know the answer. The second time, I was able to share a scientific fact. My knowledge of astronomy was crafted by the natural curiosity of the thousands of people who we’ve shared a view through our telescope with.
This feels especially silly after that really sweet answer but it’s the next question I have here: What Moon is the horniest Moon?
Bill: The only big O I'm interested in is "O my God, look at that crater!" when they look at the Moon.
Brendan: The horned Moon is a naturally occurring phenomenon that happens when a crescent Moon appears as two horns when it rises or sets over the horizon. This can only happen when the Moon is wet - when the Moon is rising and setting more perpendicular to the horizon in Philadelphia. You can observe a wet horned Moon in the evenings during the spring and in the mornings during the fall.
Ahem! A big part of your platform is raising awareness about light pollution. As it stands now, we have a lot of it. Right now, tonight, what is your best advice for a regular person who wants to look at the heavens, but they're stuck in Philadelphia?
Bill: Turn the damn lights off! Philadelphia, and the Northeast Corridor in general, is one of the most light polluted places on Earth. More than half the world's population lives in cities, there's hardly a chance to see a dark night sky anymore. But I think if we can show people that something is missing from the sky, they will want to do something about it. To see the Milky Way from Center City.
Light pollution is growing at a faster rate than the population. Lights like LEDs continue to become more energy efficient, which means the lights are only getting brighter. But there is another way, and that's to design better lighting for our cities and our homes.
Our cities glow from overhead, you've probably seen this for yourself if you've looked out an airplane's window at night. It's actually very pretty in a way, as if we turned the galaxy on its head. The Earth is twinkling with lights instead of the sky with stars. There's a big problem with this picture. Because if these streetlights are meant to point down at the sidewalk, how come you can see them from cruising altitude?!
If you want to do something about light pollution, join the Dark Sky Association. They're lobbying local governments to pass lighting ordinances that require healthier, less wasteful lighting. Places like box stores and gas stations are the worst offenders. Unlike other types of pollution, light pollution is 100% reversible, and the tide changes as soon as we start to demand better lighting. It's a win-win, because better design will always lead to saving money on electricity too.
Back at home, you can look into lights that have timers or motion sensors. Also, very important for our biological clock is to use light with a warm white color temperature. Even ask your neighbors what they think of your home's lighting. You might find out that something from your yard is shining directly into their bedroom!
Brendan: Growing up and living on the East Coast my whole life, I’ve never had an opportunity to see the milky way. Cherry Springs is the nearest dark sky location if you are looking to see our galaxy. Light pollution awareness is important. 150 years ago, in Center City Philadelphia, anyone could see the milky way on a clear night.
Luckily, there are still reminders that we are living on a planet if you look up into the sky in Philadelphia. You can see the planets in our Solar System year-round. Planets like Jupiter, Venus, and Mars all shine far brighter than the brightest stars in the sky. Star gazers can tune into our Instagram live-streams to catch a view of these planets (and the Moon) up close.
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