Alan Shepard smacked golf balls on the Moon — and now we know where they landed. When the Apollo astronaut said his second shot went “miles and miles and miles,” that was a bit of an exaggeration. In the annals of golf history, Alan Shepard's shots from the lunar sand may be the most famous swings ever taken.
What brand of golf ball was hit on the moon?
playing golf on the Moon on February 6, 1971. Upscaled, enhanced close-up of the Apollo 14 landing site taken in 2011 from lunar orbit by the LRO. Shepard's stance and divot for his first “ shanked ” shot into a nearby crater. Close-up of Shepard's first “shanked”ball and Mitchell's “javelin.”
Did Alan Shepard hit golf balls on the moon?
Shepard took a few moments during the Apollo 14 landing to show off his hobby during a live broadcast from the lunar surface on Feb. ... 6, 1971. He took two shots, with the second ball going “miles and mile,” he said on-camera.
What happened to the golf ball that was hit on the moon?
On Earth, a golf ball doesn't remain in the air for long as the planet's gravity quickly pulls it back down. On the moon, a golf ball will travel much farther because the comparatively weak surface gravity will accelerate it back to the surface more slowly . ... On Earth, however, air resistance impedes the ball's travel.
What did Alan Shepard say about the moon?
“The Moon is one big sand trap ,” the astronaut said after he brought the game to a new frontier. Alan Shepard earned his place in history as the first American in space. But he may have gotten a bigger kick with one of his last acts in space 50 years ago—whacking a golf ball on the Moon.
Why are there 2 golf balls on the moon?
There are two golf balls on the moon. They were taken there by Alan Shepard in 1971, during the Apollo 14 mission. ... Apparently, Shepard smuggled the head of a 6-iron , as well as two golf balls, onboard the ship.
Is the American flag still on the moon?
In a July 2011 article for Smithsonian Air & Space magazine, lunar scientist Paul Spudis explains: ... “ America is left with no discernible space program while the moon above us no longer flies a visible US flag.
Was a golf ball hit on the Moon?
In the annals of golf history, Alan Shepard's shots from the lunar sand may be the most famous swings ever taken. ... Then, as his time on the lunar surface came to an end, he stood in front of a TV camera with his makeshift club and two golf balls.
How far should you stand from the golf ball?
As for distance from the ball, the butt of the grip at address should be about six inches from your body . Check this by setting up and then taking your right hand off the grip, moving it about a foot to your right. You shouldn't feel like you have to reach to put it back on the club.
Which is the only sport ever played on the Moon?
What was the first sport played on the moon? That would be golf . In 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard swung a makeshift 6-iron on the moon's surface — and missed the ball. His second swing, however, connected, and the golf ball went flying “miles and miles and miles,” as Shepard put it after his swing.
Will the moon eventually crash into the earth?
The simple answer is: The Moon is probably never going to leave us . There is no well-defined scientific scenario in which the Moon ever escapes from the Earth, and even the long-shot possibility emerges only long after Earth has been largely destroyed by the Sun.
Could you throw a rock off the moon?
If you weren't encumbered by the gear necessary to survive on the moon, you would be able to give your rock a higher initial velocity than it would have on Earth. ... To get the maximum horizontal distance, you would have to throw the rock at a 45-degree angle .
How many golf balls did Shepard hit on the moon?
Shepard, famously hit two golf balls on the surface of the Moon on February 6, 1971!
How many people have walked on the Moon?
The first crewed lunar landing in 1969 was a historic triumph for the USA and humankind. Including the Apollo 11 mission, 12 men have walked on the Moon.
Did Alan Shepard ever go to the Moon?
This was surgically corrected in 1969, and in 1971, Shepard commanded the Apollo 14 mission , piloting the Apollo Lunar Module Antares. At age 47, he became the fifth, the oldest, and the earliest-born person to walk on the Moon, and the only one of the Mercury Seven astronauts to do so.
Did Alan Shepard go to the Moon twice?
Two trips, a decade apart, spanned the most exciting era in space history. Of the original seven astronauts chosen by NASA in 1959, only one, Alan Shepard, made it to the moon .
