Astronomy
The Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission was designed to find out more about the presence of water on the Moon. The biggest component of the LCROSS mission will be to perform an impact on the lunar south pole, which will take place tomorrow, October 9, at 4:31:19 a.m. (PDT). The information gained from the mission will be important, especially because of the recent findings of water molecules on the Moon.
LCROSS will launch a heavy impactor, Centaur, into the lunar crater Cabeus. The crater, near the South Pole of the Moon, is permanently shadowed. The impact will create a debris plume rising above the Moon, which the LCROSS spacecraft can then study, hopefully revealing valuable information about the presence of water ice in the crater. Then the spacecraft itself, after sending the date back to Earth, will impact the lunar surface, creating a second debris plume.
The materials in the plume will be studied by visible and infrared spectrometers as they are broken down by exposure to sunlight. Additionally, both debris plumes will be visible from Earth, with telescopes at least as large as 10 - 12 inches, primarily in North America. To get further details about where the impact will be visible, visit this NASA page. Additionally, the impact can be witnessed through public outreach programs, or through NASA TV.
Image: NASA
Astronomy and Space Celebrates International Year of Astronomy 2009.
- Water Found On Moon Surface
My earlier post was Was moon bombing a success now LCROSS team has successfully found water on permanently shadowed lunar crater . The team was able to observe 25 liters of water with spectroscopic telescope. The team has also found some components such...
- Moon "bombing" To Probe Water
On Friday that is today 9th September, 2009 a NASA spacecraft known as Centaur will crash on the South pole of Moon with a force that will throw 350 tonnes of lunar debris and create a 13-foot-deep-crater. Soon four minutes after the crash another spacecraft...
- New Map Shines Light On Moon?s Shadowed Craters
A new high resolution map of the Moon?s rugged south pole region provides new and unprecedented detail of permanently shadowed craters that could be hiding water ice deposits. The discovery of water ice reservoirs on the Moon would be a significant...
- Chandrayaan Likely To Join U.s Spacecraft For Water Probe
India's Chandrayaan-I probe will be joining two U.S spacecraft to be launched this year in looking for water on the Moon. NASA plans to launch the Lunar Reconnaissance (LRO)as well as the Lunar Crater Observation an Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) on an...
- Lcross Confirms Water On The Moon
The recent climax of NASA's LCROSS (Luner Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) mission resulted in giant impacts on the Moon. Although they had caused public outrage due to the media's use of the word "bomb" to describe the impacts, the mission's...
Astronomy
LCROSS Lunar Impact
The Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission was designed to find out more about the presence of water on the Moon. The biggest component of the LCROSS mission will be to perform an impact on the lunar south pole, which will take place tomorrow, October 9, at 4:31:19 a.m. (PDT). The information gained from the mission will be important, especially because of the recent findings of water molecules on the Moon.
LCROSS will launch a heavy impactor, Centaur, into the lunar crater Cabeus. The crater, near the South Pole of the Moon, is permanently shadowed. The impact will create a debris plume rising above the Moon, which the LCROSS spacecraft can then study, hopefully revealing valuable information about the presence of water ice in the crater. Then the spacecraft itself, after sending the date back to Earth, will impact the lunar surface, creating a second debris plume.
The materials in the plume will be studied by visible and infrared spectrometers as they are broken down by exposure to sunlight. Additionally, both debris plumes will be visible from Earth, with telescopes at least as large as 10 - 12 inches, primarily in North America. To get further details about where the impact will be visible, visit this NASA page. Additionally, the impact can be witnessed through public outreach programs, or through NASA TV.
Image: NASA
Astronomy and Space Celebrates International Year of Astronomy 2009.
- Water Found On Moon Surface
My earlier post was Was moon bombing a success now LCROSS team has successfully found water on permanently shadowed lunar crater . The team was able to observe 25 liters of water with spectroscopic telescope. The team has also found some components such...
- Moon "bombing" To Probe Water
On Friday that is today 9th September, 2009 a NASA spacecraft known as Centaur will crash on the South pole of Moon with a force that will throw 350 tonnes of lunar debris and create a 13-foot-deep-crater. Soon four minutes after the crash another spacecraft...
- New Map Shines Light On Moon?s Shadowed Craters
A new high resolution map of the Moon?s rugged south pole region provides new and unprecedented detail of permanently shadowed craters that could be hiding water ice deposits. The discovery of water ice reservoirs on the Moon would be a significant...
- Chandrayaan Likely To Join U.s Spacecraft For Water Probe
India's Chandrayaan-I probe will be joining two U.S spacecraft to be launched this year in looking for water on the Moon. NASA plans to launch the Lunar Reconnaissance (LRO)as well as the Lunar Crater Observation an Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) on an...
- Lcross Confirms Water On The Moon
The recent climax of NASA's LCROSS (Luner Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) mission resulted in giant impacts on the Moon. Although they had caused public outrage due to the media's use of the word "bomb" to describe the impacts, the mission's...