All articles tagged with #lunar impacts
During NASA's Artemis II lunar flyby, volunteers submitted impact-flash videos to the Impact Flash project; scientists combine Earth-based and spacecraft data to constrain the size and origins of lunar impactors and the craters they form, and plan to study moonquakes to probe the Moon’s interior, with ongoing opportunities for amateur astronomers to contribute via the project website.
During a roughly seven-hour lunar observation, Artemis II crew reported six meteorite flashes on the Moon—seen in real time as white-to-bluish pinpricks of light—mostly during a solar eclipse. Scientists say these were likely small projectiles and plan to compare the sightings with orbital data to estimate meteoroid flux near the Moon, informing future lunar-base planning.
An astronomer in Japan captured two bright flashes on the Moon caused by space objects colliding with its surface, providing insight into lunar surface changes and space debris impacts, though NASA has not yet verified these events.
Astronomer Daichi Fujii captured videos of bright flashes on the Moon, potentially caused by impacts from the Geminid meteor shower. These flashes, observed on December 8, coincide with the annual meteor shower known for its brilliant displays. The Moon, frequently hit by cosmic debris, has previously been impacted by Geminids, with NASA studies noting such events in 2006 and 2010. While it's not confirmed that the recent flashes are from Geminids, their direction suggests a possible link. The Geminids originate from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, whose sodium tail was recently studied by NASA and ESA.