Dust on the Moon

My father mapped the moon during the 1960's at Lowell Observatory located in Flagstaff, Arizona. As a boy one of the family dinner topics during those days was the depth of the dust on the moon.

During those years the depth of the dust on the moon was a real concern to NASA as they contemplated the first lunar landing. The pods on the lander as well as the long legs were designed to distribute the weight to keep it from sinking too far down. There was fear in some circles that the lander might sink out of sight.

I remember my dad very clearly saying that he didn't believe the dust was more then an inch or two thick. I never understood why he believed that but I do know that he was absolutely right! Little did I realize as a boy during those years how important dust on the moon could be in determining the age of the moon.

With the pock-marked face of the moon, one would anticipate gazing through a telescope that it would be very possible for a large amount of dust to have accumulated on the moon over the last 4.6 billion years (the latest age given for the earth and moon). With the reality of a couple of inches actually on the surface of the moon one could justifiably conclude that the moon may not be as old as we have been told.

Think about it for a minute. We know from the analyzed dust brought back by the astronauts that the amount of dust from outer space on the moon is about 1/50 th of an inch. Many believe that this outer space dust is from micro meteorites (falling stars) that hit the surface of the moon at seven times the speed of a bullet. Using calculations worked out by the former Chief of Science and Technology Studies at the Air War College, the amount of dust that should be on the moon if it is indeed 4.6 billion years should be approximately one half mile!

The difference between two inches and 31,680 inches (1/2 mile) is a real problem for those who try to promote the 4.6 billion year idea. In fact it won't work no matter how they present it. What this difference does strongly indicate and I believe validate is that the moon is about 6,000 years old. And if that is the case than the whole idea of a very old earth and universe begins to have some major problems.

If the earth is young where would we look to find its origin? I have a novel suggestion, try looking at Genesis chapter one, verses 14-19. And that suggestion becomes an even bigger problem for those who say God had nothing to do with it.

As for me, having grown up in an environment of humanism and evolution I have come to the conclusion that on this topic it is much safer and reasonable to trust the eye witness account of Genesis 1:1.