Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment from our backyard?

[Rihard]

Hi all,

quick question.

Some Soviet robotic missions and the Apollo missions have left some reflectors on the surface of the moon. They can be used to measure the distance of the moon from the Earth by calculating how long the reflected light takes to come back to you.

Is this experiment possible also for us common humans with affordable equipment in the comfort of our backyards?

What exact equipment is needed for that?

Cheers

[Alan_B]

Probably need more than the legal 5mw

[johninderby]

APOLLO (the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation)

http://www.physics.ucsd.edu/~tmurphy/apollo/apollo.html

Plenty of info here and an interesting read as well.

John

[Rihard]

Thanks all for the answers, and nice site John.

It looks like I need to become a wealthy person before being able to afford

anything similar in my future backyard.

[RogerTheDodger]

How strange, I was thing about the laser ranging after the news that Neil Armstrong had died, and what would be needed to make it work...

[The Sailor]

Back in the early '80's I was using ranging binoculars as part of my equipment, a laser went out and returned a range to a target with it's bearing, dout if it was capable of reaching the moom

Jim