was limited; the missions were really in the nature of
reconnaissances. The various ALSEPs continued operating
for some years, until they were eventually switched off
mainly on financial grounds.
No men have been to the Moon since 1972, though
there have been a few unmanned missions. In 1993 the
Japanese probe Hiten crashed on the Moon near the crater
Furnerius, and images were also sent back by the Galileo
probe en route to Jupiter. We may hope for the establish-
ment of a Lunar Base and a Lunar Observatory in the fore-
seeable future. To quote Eugene Cernan, commander of
Apollo 17, when I talked with him:THE SOLAR SYSTEM
‘I believe we’ll go back. We went to the Moon not
initially for scientific purposes, but for national
and political ones which was just as well, because
it enabled us to get the job done! When there is
real motivation, for instance to use the Moon as
a base for exploring other worlds in the Solar
System, or set up a full-scale scientific base, then
we’ll go back. There will be others who will
follow in our steps.’▲ Earthrise. This picture was
taken from Apollo 17, the
last manned lunar mission.
It shows the crescent Earth
rising over the limb of the
Moon; when the photograph
was taken, Apollo 17 was in
lunar orbit. Apollo 17.During one of
the Moon walks, Dr Schmitt,
the geologist, suddenly
called attention to what
seemed to be orange soil
inside a small crater,
unofficially named Shorty.
At first it was thought to
indicate recent fumarole
activity, but the colour was
due to very small, very
ancient glassy ‘beads’.▲The scene from Apollo 17.
The Lunar Rover is well
shown. The sky is of course
jet-black; one is reminded of
Buzz Aldrin’s description of
the Moon as ‘magnificent
desolation’.B Atl of Univ Phil'03stp 31/3/03 4:07 pm Page 51