The dark side of the moon and a star as a gift. Answers to the main questions about space

All major powers strive to conquer outer space faster than others. At the same time, not all plans are peaceful — in particular, the head of the US Space Command, General Stephen Whiting, called for the deployment of weapons in outer space. However, so far, countries have been able to contain the militarization of outer space. And despite the ambitions of politicians and large-scale research by scientists, space is still shrouded in a veil of myths. Izvestia investigated where the Big Bang occurred and what the far side of the moon really looks like.

Could the Earth fall into a black hole?

A black hole is an object with colossal gravity capable of absorbing any substance, including light. Scientists have discovered that there are "wandering black holes" in space that move through the galaxy. In order for the Earth to "fall" into a black hole, one of these must approach the planet. But the probability that one of the "wandering ones" will approach the Earth in the foreseeable future is negligible.

• If a black hole was approaching Earth in our Galaxy, people would have noticed it long before the collision. For example, this could be detected by gravitational distortions of orbits, X-ray bursts, and other effects.

Does the moon have a dark side?

• "Dark side of the Moon" is a literal translation from English of Dark Side of the Moon. That's what the far side of the moon is called in English: it always shows one side of itself, and the other hemisphere is not visible from Earth.

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This is where the myth was born that the far side of the moon is always dark, and the side facing us is always brightly illuminated by the Sun, but this is not the case. You can see this by going outside at night in clear weather and looking at the moon. The part of the Moon illuminated by the Sun will be visible, as well as another part of the satellite that is not illuminated by the light of this star. The same thing will happen on the far side of the moon. There is day and night on both sides, each of them is illuminated for two weeks, and during the other two it is in complete darkness.

Which planets can we inhabit and when?

• At the moment, the nearest and most discussed target for potential colonization is Mars, and this possibility is being discussed in the United States. According to the most optimistic forecasts, the first manned missions will be launched by the 2030s, and colonization will begin towards the end of the 21st century. However, no clear plans have been announced yet.

• In particular, the director of the SpaceX space corporation, Elon Musk, said that a person will set foot on Mars for the first time in 5-7 years. US President Donald Trump, who is famous for making difficult promises easily, has confirmed that the United States will plant a flag on Mars and "even far beyond its borders." It is still difficult to assess how realistic these forecasts are.

• At the same time, we are talking not only about space tourism, but also about the possible beginning of a new arms race format. For example, the head of the US Space Command, General Stephen Whiting, believes that the United States needs to deploy weapons in outer space. If this is implemented, it will lead to even more tension on Earth.

Is it possible to give a star or name it in someone's honor?

• Not allowed. This misconception can lead to financial waste. There are several companies that offer to "buy a star" and name it as the buyer wishes, for example, in honor of a person dear to him. The company will promise to find the unnamed star and give it the proposed name.

• People pay and receive a "certificate" from such companies that a star in a certain constellation with certain coordinates is named after the right name. However, in fact, astronomers have the privilege of naming space objects. All astronomers on the globe are united in the International Astronomical Union. Only this union, on behalf of the United Nations, is given the right to propose and approve names for space objects. The special commission on naming space objects also includes experts in mythology and literature.

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How real is the impact of magnetic storms on people?

• Magnetic storms occur due to the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere. This causes fluctuations in the planet's magnetic field, which can affect electrical appliances, satellites, and navigation systems.

• The influence of magnetic storms on humans exists, but it is indirect and individual. Some correlations between magnetic storms and well-being in some people have been scientifically proven, but the scale of the effect is exaggerated. Poor health most often occurs not because of the storm itself, but it can coincide with other stressful factors, such as a sudden change in the weather, an exacerbation of chronic diseases, or stress.

Are all the strange objects UFOs?

• One of the most common myths about space concerns UFOs, that is, unidentified flying objects. Some people believe that alien spaceships plow through our universe, including our atmosphere, and sometimes even land on the surface of the Earth.

• People sometimes see unusual optical phenomena in the atmosphere, rocket launches, or oddly shaped experimental aircraft, and believe that these are visits from visitors from other planets. However, once a witness describes such phenomena, scientists quickly understand what a "UFO" could actually be. At the same time, the expert community does not deny that there may be life in the universe, but they urge not to mistake every satellite or airplane for an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

Did American astronauts land on the moon?

• Another myth is the claims that American astronauts did not land on the moon, and all available footage of this event was filmed in Hollywood pavilions and is fake. Initially, this misconception was supported by those who in the early 1960s were convinced that Soviet cosmonautics was the best in the world. The USSR really created the first powerful rockets, the first satellite, and also sent the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space.

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However, a close study of the history of cosmonautics shows that American space engineers are not much different from their Soviet colleagues, and in some areas they were ahead of them. A few years later, after the completion of the lunar expedition, the Americans handed over to the USSR some of the samples of soil taken on the Moon. As Yuri Borisov, then head of Roscosmos, stated in 2024, the results of an examination conducted in the USSR showed that the samples were indeed lunar.

Did the big bang happen at a specific point?

• Most people know that the universe and the surrounding galaxies are spreading out in all directions — this is called the expansion of the universe. This process began about 14 billion years ago with the Big Bang. With these words, human consciousness often paints such a picture: there was a huge empty universe, something exploded inside it, and galaxies and stars began to fly apart like fragments of a grenade after an explosion.

• There is a misconception that the Big Bang occurred at a specific point in the universe, but in fact it occurred everywhere. The universe began to expand rapidly at the same time, in all places, and the earthly word "explosion" does not quite correctly describe this cosmic process. The simultaneous and widespread expansion of the universe led to the fact that it gradually broke up into separate galaxies, stars and planets.

When writing the material, Izvestia interviewed:

• by the scientist-astronomer Vladimir Surdin, author of the "Guide to the Universe from SberDevices"