
Spanish astronomers say they observed a record-breaking impact on the moon as a half-ton meteorite crashed into the lunar surface last September. The flash of light from the impact was so bright it would have been visible from Earth, they report in the current issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. "This is the largest, brightest impact we have ever observed on the moon," Jose Madiedo of the University of Huelva told the BBC. "The impact we detected lasted over eight seconds." The Moon Impacts Detection and Analysis System of telescopes in southern Spain detected the explosive impact, with energy equivalent to around 15 tons of TNT, on Sep. 11, the researchers said. "Usually lunar impacts have a very short duration -- just a fraction of a second," Madiedo said. "But the impact we detected lasted over eight seconds. It was almost as bright as the Pole Star, which makes it the brightest impact event that we have recorded from Earth." They estimated the meteor, traveling at 38,000 mph, would have created a crater measuring around 130 feet across.
GMT 16:03 2018 Wednesday ,28 November
Executive Office of Arab Ministers of Communications starts in CairoGMT 09:09 2018 Thursday ,15 November
Syria, Iran discuss enhancing scientific cooperationGMT 09:53 2018 Wednesday ,07 November
Drones bring innovation to Africa, from Morocco to MalawiGMT 11:31 2018 Wednesday ,17 October
Japan high-tech fair CEATEC opens in ChibaGMT 14:03 2018 Monday ,08 October
American scientists awarded 2018 Prize in Economic SciencesGMT 07:35 2018 Monday ,08 October
First foreign space agency opens in Abu DhabiGMT 10:47 2018 Sunday ,07 October
Bahrain hosts World Robotics Olympiad2018GMT 09:20 2018 Thursday ,04 October
UAE participates in World Space WeekMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor