News Planetary Science

Moon wears dusty cloak

Old data from Apollo missions stir up debate about lunar dust

DUST PILEUP  Dust covering the lunar surface may stack up faster than scientists suspected. A new analysis of old data from the Apollo missions estimates that moon dust could form a layer 1 millimeter thick every 1000 years. 

Steve Jurvetson/FLICKR

By Meghan Rosen

Beware of lunar dust bunnies. Moon dust may pile up far more quickly than scientists once thought, and the claim is churning up some controversy.