posted 05-21-2008 09:22 PM            

A reply from one cS member stated:

The flashes of light astronauts saw on the moon trips and on the surface were attributed to cosmic rays passing through eye. On later flights they did experiments where the crews sat in a darkened CM on the way back and reported the occurrences of the flashes.

I have spent literally decades observing the moon myself, and on dozens of occasions, I have observed flashes of light (through a 12" Dobsonian) which appeared to be coming from the lunar surface.

As Robert and a number of cS members are aware, I’ve posted some controversial stuff during my earlier years, being mildly obsessed with our sister moon and anomalies.

In another unrelated thread I responded to the post:

Let's not forget the light flashes seen by the Apollo astronauts... occurring when a cosmic particle passed through the CSM into the head and into the brains provoking a light flash to be seen by that person!

Speaking of light flashes, if you have access to a 12"+ telescope, now is a great time to check out Plato, Aristarcus and Timocharis. New Moon is best, just stay ahead of terminator. And you need to be patient.

Give it a look.

posted 05-22-2008 09:59 AM               

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Originally posted by Rizz:
The flashes of light astronauts saw on the moon trips and on the surface were attributed to cosmic rays passing through eye. On later flights they did experiments where the crews sat in a darkened CM on the way back and reported the occurrences of the flashes.

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posted 05-22-2008 10:11 AM               

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Originally posted by cspg:
Don't they happen also on Earth?

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For anyone on the ground who sees things and has been wondering if cosmic rays might be to blame, [Marco] Casolino [of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics at the University of Rome] can't be sure, but he has doubts.

The observations of flashes are extremely subjective and vary from one person to another, he notes. But few cosmic rays survive the trip through Earth's atmosphere. Most decay into other particles, such as muons, which provide little or no opportunity for generating flashes.

Further, Casolino said, the brain may well dismiss flashes as unimportant, not even allowing us to notice them. Other physiological conditions, such as differing blood pressure, might cause similar apparent perceptions.

Jet passengers above much of the atmosphere ought to have a better opportunity, however, to get a taste of the odd visual experience astronauts describe.

"I try to look for light flashes when I'm on a plane, but up to now I have seen nothing," Casolino said. "The problem is that it is difficult to know what you are looking for."

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When the vitreous pulls on the retina - to which it is attached - the photoreceptors are mechanically stimulated. The retinal cells are incapable of perceiving pain, pressure, or temperature. The only stimulus that the retina responds to is 'light'. So when the retinal photoreceptors experience mechanical stimulation because of the vitreous pull, they send a signal to the brain in the form of disorganized light, which is perceived by the brain as a 'flash'.

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