“Big Splat” Update: Harrison Schmitt’s Skeptical Take on the
2-Moon Hypothesis  PM asked Harrison Schmitt, an Apollo 17
astronaut who walked on the moon and a geologist who’s studied
its makeup, about a new hypothesis that caught a wave of
attention last week: that a second, smaller moon once smacked
into the far side of our moon, resulting in the structure we see
today. His response? With so little data to back it up, he’s
skeptical.  By Skylar Bergl The Moon before and shortly after
the proposed impact.  The Moon before and shortly after the
proposed impact.   August 10, 2011 7:00 PM Text Size: A . A . A
Last week, we covered a new study with a provocative explanation
for why the two sides of our moon are so different—that a second
moon could have grazed one side of it billions of years ago, an
event the scientists behind the idea call "the big splat."  We
were curious to hear the take of someone who not only knows the
geology of the moon, but walked upon our natural satellite. And
so we called Apollo 17 mo