Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!csri.toronto.edu!wayne
From: wayne@csri.toronto.edu (Wayne Hayes)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Apollo-11 lunar experiment still useful after 20 years (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <1989Jul19.173616.8795@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Organization: University of Toronto, CSRI
References: <28736@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 19 Jul 89 21:36:15 GMT

In article <28736@ames.arc.nasa.gov> yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) writes:
>     Once the laser beam hits a reflector, scientists at the 
>observatories use sensitive filtering and amplification equipment 
>to detect the return signal.  The reflected light is too weak to 
>be seen with the human eye, but under good conditions, one photon 
>-- the fundamental particle of light -- will be received every 
>few seconds.

Is this right? I would think that many more than that would get back. 
Besides, if you only got one back every few seconds, it would be
useless for the accuracy of timing needed to calculate the moons
distance with "unprecedented accuracy".
-- 
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"Open the pod bay doors, HAL."   "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."
Wayne Hayes	INTERNET: wayne@csri.toronto.edu	CompuServe: 72401,3525