[HN Gopher] Astronauts face unique visual challenges at lunar So...
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       Astronauts face unique visual challenges at lunar South Pole
        
       Author : pseudolus
       Score  : 46 points
       Date   : 2024-12-27 15:56 UTC (2 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (phys.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (phys.org)
        
       | JoeAltmaier wrote:
       | Did they consider a helmet filter that put a dark spot over the
       | sun dynamically? Perhaps with an lcd layer.
        
         | peddling-brink wrote:
         | For 20 years, I've wondered why we don't have that in cars.
        
           | tseid wrote:
           | Its a tough feature to implement- the sun's position in the
           | glass depends on your perspective as well, not just the sun's
           | position in the sky.
           | 
           | Easier to do in a helmet than in a windshield, I suppose.
        
             | eemil wrote:
             | Perspective shouldn't be a problem. Some cars already do
             | eye tracking, using a camera placed near the gauge cluster,
             | as part of a driver monitoring system.
        
               | LorenPechtel wrote:
               | Eye tracking isn't enough--you need to know where the
               | eyes are, not where they are looking.
        
         | ralphc wrote:
         | I forget which one, but there's a Larry Niven science fiction
         | story that uses this as a plot point. Our hero takes advantage
         | of the sun blocker spot on the villian's plane or ship by
         | approaching in the line of sight of the planet's sun.
        
           | all2 wrote:
           | I believe this strategy was also used in WWI, but just hiding
           | in the glare of the sun.
        
             | aaronbrethorst wrote:
             | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen
        
               | FredPret wrote:
               | "Beware the Hun in the Sun" is apparently what Allied
               | pilots used to say.
               | 
               | https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/archive-
               | exhibitions/wo...
        
           | Polizeiposaune wrote:
           | Grendel, one of the stories in Neutron Star, set on a planet
           | orbiting a very bright star where everyone has to wear
           | protective goggles with sun-tracking black dots for each eye.
           | 
           | Our hero needs to steal the bad guy's (flying) car, at sunset
           | and circles until his shadow points at the car..
        
           | 1970-01-01 wrote:
           | This is a very old fighter pilot tactic.
           | 
           | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_position_(air_combat)
        
         | OldGuyInTheClub wrote:
         | Imagine blocking the infestation of billboards on earth with a
         | dynamic shade.
        
           | asimpleusecase wrote:
           | In some place the entire windscreen would be blacked out
        
             | OldGuyInTheClub wrote:
             | Yep, that's the case in many parts of Southern California.
        
             | tgv wrote:
             | Reminds me of the peril-sensitive glasses in H2GT2G: "At
             | the first hint of trouble, they turn totally black and thus
             | prevent you from seeing anything that might alarm you."
        
           | pizza wrote:
           | They Live!
        
       | aporetics wrote:
       | That moment while driving when the pavement is wet and the sun is
       | at a low angle and suddenly the ground is as bright as the sun
       | and you can't see anything. But all the time!
       | 
       | It sounds more complicated than just figuring out how to prevent
       | glare. Even if you do that, the terrain will always be
       | illuminated in this strange high contrast scenario. I find myself
       | thinking about how photographers use reflectors to avoid this in
       | their portrait subjects.
        
         | imoverclocked wrote:
         | Meanwhile, solar panels might be super efficient because they
         | get to use the moon as a giant reflector. Shedding heat will be
         | an interesting problem though... perhaps thermal panels and
         | Stirling generators instead of PV? They could save a bunch of
         | weight by just using the water-ice when they get there. Sounds
         | like a fun project to work on!
        
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       (page generated 2024-12-29 23:02 UTC)