Red atomsphere-less moon question

[Ajax83]

Okay, I'm not sure if this is in the correct section, but I have been trying to find any and all information about the possiblility of a moon that appears red in colour because of the soil, say iron oxide, and if this is possible if the moon has no atmosphere.

Is it possible? Would the moon have to have had an atmosphere at one time or another, then lose it, so that it is atmosphere-less but still red?

Could the moon be red AND have an atmosphere?

thank you kindly,

Andrew

[ronin]

If the material on the surface was iron oxide then any white light reflecting off would have a red component.

If the moon had just iron, then to get to Fe2O3 it would have needed an atmosphere to oxidise the iron, the chemical reaction also requires CO2 to be present. How it gets that oxygen is a different matter. The earth did not start with an oxygen rich atmosphere. It developed over millions of years.

The moon ambling round us is not red and does not have an atmosphere. So not sure what the point of this question was.

If you are refering to the lunar esclipse and the red appearance then read up on scattering of light through the earths atmosphere. In effect the light grey moon is bathed in light with a high red component and so it is effectively illuminated in red light, so it will naturally appear red. Unless the moon surface was blue or green.

[Ajax83]

So not sure what the point of this question was.

The point of the question is, is it plausable that there is a moon that has red soil?

It doesn't have to be Earth's moon. It can be fictional. In this case it is fictional, but I am under contract and cannot talk about the details yet.

Suffice it to say, I am looking for a plausable explanation as to why a planet would have a red moon and the red colour isn't an optical illusion.

Thanks for your post,

Andrew

[Macavity]

Well, there are quite a number of small(er) "red" bodies around the solar system - Mars, obviously? Not sure of the latest theory, but I believe it's due to (a thin layer!) of iron oxide dust. The origin of this has been attributed to water (rusting) or non-aqueous (UV? Superoxide?) chemical mechanisms. Similarly, theories abound as to the origin and distribution mechanisms for the iron? Of course, Mars once had an atmosphere, which persists (albeit thinly!) today.

There are other red tints around. Io - Due to Sulphur allotropes? Polymers? Titan - Due to organic polymers? Planets (moon) migrate. Temperatures change - Atmospheres change, come and go etc. For precise, current theories, a search on these various terms, maybe?

[Ajax83]

Well, there are quite a number of small(er) "red" bodies around the solar system - Mars, obviously? Not sure of the latest theory, but I believe it's due to (a thin layer!) of iron oxide dust. The origin of this has been attributed to water (rusting) or non-aqueous (UV? Superoxide?) chemical mechanisms. Similarly, theories abound as to the origin and distribution mechanisms for the iron? Of course, Mars once had an atmosphere, which persists (albeit thinly!) today.

There are other red tints around. Io - Due to Sulphur allotropes? Polymers? Titan - Due to organic polymers? Planets (moon) migrate. Temperatures change - Atmospheres change, come and go etc. For precise, current theories, a search on these various terms, maybe?

Thanks for the info man. I always though that Io was yellow and that Titan was orange/yellow too, though.

[acey]

In this case it is fictional, but I am under contract and cannot talk about the details yet.

Category:Red minerals - Wikimedia Commons

Just be sure to credit SGL in your bestseller.

[Telrad]

The Moon is thought to be surrounded by vacuum anyway. The presence of atomic and molecular particles in its vicinity is referred to as 'lunar atmosphere' but as you know, it's nothing in comparison with the gaseous envelope surrounding Earth and most planets of the Solar system - less than one hundred trillionth of Earth's atmospheric density at sea level!

[Ajax83]

Category:Red minerals - Wikimedia Commons

Just be sure to credit SGL in your bestseller.

Cool! I can make the moon into a giant ruby! Then build a death ray on behind it for the ultimate, energy, weapon, ever!!!!!!!!

Truely, thanks man.

The Moon is thought to be surrounded by vacuum anyway. The presence of atomic and molecular particles in its vicinity is referred to as 'lunar atmosphere' but as you know, it's nothing in comparison with the gaseous envelope surrounding Earth and most planets of the Solar system - less than one hundred trillionth of Earth's atmospheric density at sea level!

I wish I has a clue as to what you are saying.

No, I'm kinding around.

I'm thinking that I should go with:

'It used to have an atmosphere but it eventually disipated, but not before the iron in the soil oxidised (oxidated? that techniocal term there please)'

Does that work for the more science oriented people? It has to otherwise I can write it.

Thanks to all,

Andrew

[JulianO]

The moon probably had an atmosphere at one point, but it would have very little free oxygen in it. I would probably be mostly hydrogen, nitrogen and CO2 and maybe some water vapour. Earth didn't see any significant oxygen in the atmosphere until life evolved. Being small, it can't hold on to the atmosphere, particularly under the influence of strong sunlight and solar winds (compared to somewhere like Io for instance).

Although thinks can oxidise in the presence of water and CO2, it obviously didn't happen much as the moon is not red like mars, but still has iron in its crust.

[Ajax83]

The moon probably had an atmosphere at one point, but it would have very little free oxygen in it. I would probably be mostly hydrogen, nitrogen and CO2 and maybe some water vapour. Earth didn't see any significant oxygen in the atmosphere until life evolved. Being small, it can't hold on to the atmosphere, particularly under the influence of strong sunlight and solar winds (compared to somewhere like Io for instance).

Although thinks can oxidise in the presence of water and CO2, it obviously didn't happen much as the moon is not red like mars, but still has iron in its crust.

So is that a no to my previous question?

Also, just so I have my facts straight, solar wind isn't like wind on Earth, is it? It's something to do with particles thrown out by the sun?

[JulianO]

So is that a no to my previous question?

Which particular one? If the moon did have an atmosphere composed of oxidising elements, then yes it would turn redder than it is now.

Also, just so I have my facts straight, solar wind isn't like wind on Earth, is it? It's something to do with particles thrown out by the sun?

Yes - its a streams of particles given off by the sun, mostly protons and electrons (so charged particles) I believe. When they hit an atmosphere, they help remove it by blowing away the upper most atoms, a bit like blowing the steam off your coffee. They get replaced by other atoms and so slowly the atmosphere is stripped away. It happens on the Earth too - but is partly balanced there by the deflecting nature of our much stronger magnetic field.

Oddly enough, the solar wind is part of the cause of Mercury's very thin atmosphere, which is mostly collected from these particles getting trapped in its magnetic field.

[Ajax83]

Which particular one? If the moon did have an atmosphere composed of oxidising elements, then yes it would turn redder than it is now.

Yes that's the one, I love you!

Thank you kindly everyone who responded to this thread. Your efforts are much appreciated.

Andrew