BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, a look at efforts to preserve the artifacts that remain on the moon’s surface.
Earlier this year, the World Monuments Fund placed the moon as one of 25 endangered sites on its World Monuments Watch list for 2025. The nonprofit group’s concern is that space debris, and unregulated space tourism could endanger important artifacts left behind on the moon by earlier missions, according to McGuire.
“Like the descent stage of the lunar module from the Apollo missions, the boot prints from Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin… and numerous other artifacts and items from each mission.”
Previous to this year, World Monuments Watch has focused on Earth’s endangered sites and has raised money to preserve them. This year’s sites include lighthouses in Maine and water reservoirs in Tunisia. But the addition of the moon to the list created a stir and a surge in press coverage.
From the organization’s web site: “As a new era of space exploration dawns, international collaboration is required to protect the physical remnants of early moon landings and preserve these enduring symbols of collective human achievement.”