You are here:

Astronomy/Moon observations: NASA's planned explosion

Advertisement

Expert: - 9/21/2009


Question
NASA is planning to drop a bomb on the moon on October 9th 2009 to try and detect water in the resulting plum of dust. It will happen near the moon's South pole, at a pre-chosen spot.

More details on:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/index.html

My question is, will I be able to see this explosion and the 3 km sized plum of dust using my Dobsonian 10 inch back yard telescope?

More specifically, from where on Earth would it be visible?

Thanks!!!

Answer
Hello,

It actually isn't a literal "bomb" being dropped but rather an impact created from a craft- device, from what I can gather.

Anyway, given the impact time is around 4.30 a.m. Pacific Daylight time, and Israel would be more like 2.30 p.m. local time, it is doubtful you could see anything - given you'd be in full daylight at time of impact.

It probably makes more sense for you to tune in to NASA-TV to catch the live telecast, and I believe there is a link to it online, if you can't get it via cable -tv.

From what I can gather, the best places to directly view the event will be those *west of the Missiissippi River* - which is probably from around longitude 95 deg west to around 150 W.

Astronomy

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Philip Stahl

Expertise

I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.

Experience

Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.

Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union

Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.

Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics

Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.