The smallest detail visible through Earth based telescope is about 1 second of arc

[sexy c]

in diameter? What size is this on Earth's moon?

I would like to compare notes my answer
I came up with
1/2 a degree and 1740kilometers

Am I correct????
Moon's Diameter is about 3460. It is about the distance of 390000Km from earth. One arc second is one divided by3600degree. So using simple trigonometry calculate the distance. Moon is about 30 arc minute average. That is 30x60 Arc seconds.
That is 3460Km is 30 arc minute from that also you can calculate the distance for one arc second
Chandramohan

[laurahal42]

It's impossible to "compare notes", since you have quoted all sorts of numbers, but no actual answers.

Angela S's answer is corroborated by telescope observations. Under excellent seeing conditions the smallest details visible on the Moon are 1 to 2 km across. A good example are the 4 small craters on the floor of Plato, which are 1.7 to 2.2 km across. To see them requires near-perfect seeing and an excellent telescope.

When two completely different approaches come up with the same number you're probably on to something...

[Angela S]

I'm not really sure what the question is asking.

Are you asking what is the physical scale of the "pixelation" you would get pointing an earth-based telescope at the moon?

If so - the moon has an angular diameter of ~0.5 degrees
So 1 arcsecond is 1/1800 of this.
The radius of the moon is 1737.4 km
The actual diameter of the moon is 3474.8 km
So the size of the pixel (smallest spot you could see) is 3474.8/1800 km or ~2km.

Your answer seems to be confusing units a lot.