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image credit: Apollo 17, NASA




why is the Moon so dusty ?

on Earth, rocks are weathered by wind and water, creating soil and sand

on the Moon, the history of constant micrometeorite bombardment has blasted away at the rocky surface creating a layer of powdery lunar soil or regolith

for the Apollo astronauts and their equipment, the pervasive, fine, gritty dust was definitely a problem

on the lunar surface in december 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan needed to repair one of their rover's fenders (video) in an effort to keep the rooster tails of dust away from themselves and their gear

this picture reveals the wheel and fender of their dust covered rover along with the ingenious application of spare maps, clamps, and a grey strip of "duct tape"



















































in apod.nasa.gov/apod