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Letter: Troublesome moon dust could be tamed

Published 14 May 2025

From Geoff Harding, Sydney, Australia

Levitation of moon dust at lunar sunrise and sunset is surely partly down to the pyroelectric effect, which induces an electrostatic charge on particles when warmed or cooled that then causes repulsive forces and floating dust. This can potentially coat scientific instruments. A possible means of suppression may be to seed the local area with electrically conducting aluminium particles(26 April, p 38).

Issue no. 3543 published 17 May 2025

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