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To make a blue moon, what element does it need?

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2

$begingroup$

We know that Mars has a reddish color, because its ground consists of iron-based compounds. The moon is grey-whiteish because it consists mostly of silicon-based compounds.

What element should the moon in my world have in order to have a blue color?

I thought about cobalt-based compounds, but naturally this element is silver-grey.

hard-science moons astronomy geology unusual-color

share|improve this question

edited 4 hours ago

Cyn

9,37612246

asked 4 hours ago

Mr.DMr.D

1134

New contributor

Mr.D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

This question asks for hard science. All answers to this question should be backed up by equations, empirical evidence, scientific papers, other citations, etc. Answers that do not satisfy this requirement might be removed. See the tag description for more information.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Does your moon have an atmosphere?
  $endgroup$
  – L.Dutch♦
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @L.Dutch I prefer moon without any atmosphere.
  $endgroup$
  – Mr.D
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

$begingroup$

We know that Mars has a reddish color, because its ground consists of iron-based compounds. The moon is grey-whiteish because it consists mostly of silicon-based compounds.

What element should the moon in my world have in order to have a blue color?

I thought about cobalt-based compounds, but naturally this element is silver-grey.

hard-science moons astronomy geology unusual-color

share|improve this question

edited 4 hours ago

Cyn

9,37612246

asked 4 hours ago

Mr.DMr.D

1134

New contributor

Mr.D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

This question asks for hard science. All answers to this question should be backed up by equations, empirical evidence, scientific papers, other citations, etc. Answers that do not satisfy this requirement might be removed. See the tag description for more information.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Does your moon have an atmosphere?
  $endgroup$
  – L.Dutch♦
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @L.Dutch I prefer moon without any atmosphere.
  $endgroup$
  – Mr.D
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

We know that Mars has a reddish color, because its ground consists of iron-based compounds. The moon is grey-whiteish because it consists mostly of silicon-based compounds.

What element should the moon in my world have in order to have a blue color?

I thought about cobalt-based compounds, but naturally this element is silver-grey.

hard-science moons astronomy geology unusual-color

share|improve this question

edited 4 hours ago

Cyn

9,37612246

asked 4 hours ago

Mr.DMr.D

1134

New contributor

Mr.D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 4 hours ago

Cyn

9,37612246

asked 4 hours ago

Mr.DMr.D

1134

New contributor

Mr.D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 4 hours ago

Cyn

9,37612246

asked 4 hours ago

Mr.DMr.D

1134

New contributor

Mr.D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

edited 4 hours ago

Cyn

9,37612246

edited 4 hours ago

Cyn

9,37612246

asked 4 hours ago

Mr.DMr.D

1134

New contributor

Mr.D is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 4 hours ago

Mr.DMr.D

1134

1 Answer
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4

$begingroup$

You don't need an element, you need a mineral.

Certain elements do tend to make things a certain colour, for example nickel will make minerals green, manganese pink, and cobalt purple.

The fact that cobalt itself is a metal is irrelevant. Whatever "element" you have will not be metallic, it will be as a cation (or anion) in the silicates.

So your question should be rephrased to:

What element do I need to make the silicates the moon is made of, blue?

You have several options.

1. Add sodium and chlorine, in order to make sodalite: Na₈Al₆Si₆O₂₄Cl₂ (with the other elements already abundantly present on the moon).

2. Sodium and water, at high pressure and then somehow expose those rocks on the surface. You will have glaucophane: Na₂(Mg₃Al₂)Si₈O₂₂(OH)2. This is the main ingredient of the terrestrial rocks known as blueschists:

3. Tons more aluminium, so then you can stabilise corundum (Al₂O₃). When combined with the already abundant iron and titanium as trace elements, you end up with blue corundum. Also known as sapphire when in gem quality:

This should get you started. Other things you might consider are potassium and whatever makes amazonite (potassium feldspar) green-blue. Copper is also a good one, but the blue requires water that isn't common on the Moon.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

GimelistGimelist

2,254411

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Thank you for your answer.
  $endgroup$
  – Mr.D
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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4

$begingroup$

You don't need an element, you need a mineral.

Certain elements do tend to make things a certain colour, for example nickel will make minerals green, manganese pink, and cobalt purple.

The fact that cobalt itself is a metal is irrelevant. Whatever "element" you have will not be metallic, it will be as a cation (or anion) in the silicates.

So your question should be rephrased to:

What element do I need to make the silicates the moon is made of, blue?

You have several options.

1. Add sodium and chlorine, in order to make sodalite: Na₈Al₆Si₆O₂₄Cl₂ (with the other elements already abundantly present on the moon).

2. Sodium and water, at high pressure and then somehow expose those rocks on the surface. You will have glaucophane: Na₂(Mg₃Al₂)Si₈O₂₂(OH)2. This is the main ingredient of the terrestrial rocks known as blueschists:

3. Tons more aluminium, so then you can stabilise corundum (Al₂O₃). When combined with the already abundant iron and titanium as trace elements, you end up with blue corundum. Also known as sapphire when in gem quality:

This should get you started. Other things you might consider are potassium and whatever makes amazonite (potassium feldspar) green-blue. Copper is also a good one, but the blue requires water that isn't common on the Moon.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

GimelistGimelist

2,254411

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Thank you for your answer.
  $endgroup$
  – Mr.D
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

You don't need an element, you need a mineral.

Certain elements do tend to make things a certain colour, for example nickel will make minerals green, manganese pink, and cobalt purple.

The fact that cobalt itself is a metal is irrelevant. Whatever "element" you have will not be metallic, it will be as a cation (or anion) in the silicates.

So your question should be rephrased to:

What element do I need to make the silicates the moon is made of, blue?

You have several options.

1. Add sodium and chlorine, in order to make sodalite: Na₈Al₆Si₆O₂₄Cl₂ (with the other elements already abundantly present on the moon).

2. Sodium and water, at high pressure and then somehow expose those rocks on the surface. You will have glaucophane: Na₂(Mg₃Al₂)Si₈O₂₂(OH)2. This is the main ingredient of the terrestrial rocks known as blueschists:

3. Tons more aluminium, so then you can stabilise corundum (Al₂O₃). When combined with the already abundant iron and titanium as trace elements, you end up with blue corundum. Also known as sapphire when in gem quality:

This should get you started. Other things you might consider are potassium and whatever makes amazonite (potassium feldspar) green-blue. Copper is also a good one, but the blue requires water that isn't common on the Moon.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

GimelistGimelist

2,254411

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Thank you for your answer.
  $endgroup$
  – Mr.D
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

You don't need an element, you need a mineral.

Certain elements do tend to make things a certain colour, for example nickel will make minerals green, manganese pink, and cobalt purple.

The fact that cobalt itself is a metal is irrelevant. Whatever "element" you have will not be metallic, it will be as a cation (or anion) in the silicates.

So your question should be rephrased to:

What element do I need to make the silicates the moon is made of, blue?

You have several options.

1. Add sodium and chlorine, in order to make sodalite: Na₈Al₆Si₆O₂₄Cl₂ (with the other elements already abundantly present on the moon).

2. Sodium and water, at high pressure and then somehow expose those rocks on the surface. You will have glaucophane: Na₂(Mg₃Al₂)Si₈O₂₂(OH)2. This is the main ingredient of the terrestrial rocks known as blueschists:

3. Tons more aluminium, so then you can stabilise corundum (Al₂O₃). When combined with the already abundant iron and titanium as trace elements, you end up with blue corundum. Also known as sapphire when in gem quality:

This should get you started. Other things you might consider are potassium and whatever makes amazonite (potassium feldspar) green-blue. Copper is also a good one, but the blue requires water that isn't common on the Moon.

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

GimelistGimelist

2,254411

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 4 hours ago

GimelistGimelist

2,254411

answered 4 hours ago

GimelistGimelist

2,254411

answered 4 hours ago

GimelistGimelist

2,254411