How long do footprints last on the Moon?



Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin were the first humans to step foot on the Moon on July 20, 1969, and naturally, they left behind their footprints.



But do these still exist? Yes, they do!



How long will they last?



The first footprints, rather, all the footprints left on the Moon between 1969 and 1972, when the last human mission to the Moon happened, will still be there.



They might actually be there for years and years together, and if we are lucky, probably as long as the Moon lasts.



Why?



This is because unlike Earth, there is no erosion by water or wind on the Moon as it has no atmosphere and all the water on its surface is frozen. Also, there is no volcanic activity on the Moon which can change the lunar features. So, nothing really gets washed away from the Moon’s surface.



It may or may not last forever



The reason there is no guarantee that the footprints will remain permanently on the Moon is because of meteorites and solar wind.



Like the planets and other objects in the solar system, the Moon too is prone to bombardment by meteorites. Even one little space rock that lands anywhere near any of the footprints can wipe them off.



Due to the lack of atmosphere on the Moon, it is exposed to solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles coming from the Sun. Over time, this solar wind can act like the weather on Earth and scour the surface of the Moon, wiping away all footprints.



The good news though is that this process is very, very slow. So, footprints on the Moon are likely to remain there for a really long time.



 



Picture Credit : Google