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There is gravity on the moon, but it is much less strong [only about 1/6th] than it is on earth. Actually, the flag hangs, it does not fly. It hangs and appears to fly due to a little mechanical assistance.
A piece of stiff wire was attached to the flag pole, and hidden in the top seam of the material so that it could not be seen in the photo. Without doing this [a rigid horizontal support] the flag would just limply hang down, like flags do on Earth when there is no breeze.
There is no wind on the moon, and practically no atmosphere. That is why the flag cannot actually 'fly' there.
There are two explanations for why the flag appears to be fluttering in the breeze:
- It was crumpled during transit. The lightness of the fabric, combined with the weakness of the gravity, meant the wrinkles were not smoothed out by gravity as much as they would have been on earth.
- The act of planting the flag started it moving. In the absence of air resistance, it took some time for this movement to stop.
The movement of the flag on the surface of the moon was caused by the vaccum. Vaccum has less particles than our atmosphere does. This causes the flag to be able to move after it is placed on the surface of the moon.
The flag NEVER moves unless an astronaut is moving it, has just moved it and it is settling down, or at least brushes against it in passing. David Scott did that on Apollo 15, and you could see the flag edge moving like a pendulum, with no air to "catch" the cloth and slow it to a quicker stop.
What else can I help you with?
Why tin flags instead of cloth flags in moon?
There's no wind on the moon.
How many American flags are on the moon?
There are six American flags on the moon, all of which were planted during the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972. Over time, exposure to the harsh lunar environment has caused the flags to fade and deteriorate.
Are there flags on the moon?
Yes, there are six flags on the moon from the six USA lunar landings. All but one are still standing. United States, the former Soviet Union, Japan and most recently India have flags on the moon.
How many countries flags are there on the moon?
The U.S. has 6. No other countries have flags there.
How many total flags on moon?
231
Why tin flags instead of cloth flags in moon?
There's no wind on the moon.
When can a lunar eclipse be photographed?
A lunar eclipse can be photographed during the night when the moon is visible and the eclipse is occurring.
How many American flags are on the moon?
There are six American flags on the moon, all of which were planted during the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972. Over time, exposure to the harsh lunar environment has caused the flags to fade and deteriorate.
Are there flags on the moon?
Yes, there are six flags on the moon from the six USA lunar landings. All but one are still standing. United States, the former Soviet Union, Japan and most recently India have flags on the moon.
Does the moon appear to be a different size when it has risen full?
The full moon appears larger when it's low in the sky than it does when it's high. That's easily shown to be an optical illusion. For example, when the moon is photographed both high and low in the sky, both images on the film are the same size.
How many countries flags are there on the moon?
The U.S. has 6. No other countries have flags there.
When did Luna 2 and 3 orbit and photograph the moon?
Luna 2 and 3 orbited and photographed the moon in 1959
When did the Luna 2 and 3 orbit and photograph the moon?
Luna 2 and 3 orbited and photographed the moon on 1959
What do flags on the moon represent?
Just represents what countries got to the moon
How many total flags on moon?
231
Why are flags on the moon?
In history, flags were place in new lands to claim it in the name of a country. The flag on the moon was put there to indicate what the United States had accomplished.
What is the rarely photographed half of the moon is called?
It does not have a name but it is usually referred to as the dark side of the Moon (This doesn't mean it has no light) or the far side of the Moon.
