What is the mysterious object that crashed into the moon?
On February 23 of this year, an amateur astronomer recorded what appears to be a meteor impact
on the moon's surface, which is estimated to have released energy equivalent to 1,000
tons of TNT!
But...
what exactly hit the moon, and why are scientists so concerned about it?
Let's find out!
The impact The impact on February 23 was captured by
an amateur astronomer called Daichi Fujii, at the Hiratsuka City Museum, in Japan curator.
Original video address: https://twitter.com/i/status/1629259622619176961 The moment of impact was so bright that if
anyone else had been photographing the Moon at that moment, they would have caught it
on camera as well.
Although this impact is not the only one captured on the Moon, it is one of the brightest, indicating
that the object that crashed into our satellite was large.
This is a massive addition to research on meteorite impacts on the Moon since something
big enough to produce that flash would have left a massive crater on the Moon's surface.
This worries NASA scientists a lot since if these types of impacts are frequent; it could
put future missions to the Moon at risk, especially the Artemis 2 project, which aims to bring
the next astronauts to the lunar surface.
The obvious question here is, whether there is any possibility that some astronauts will
die from the impact of a micrometeorite like the one captured in the image of February
23?
When it comes to Earth, we know that, on average, about 33 tons of micrometeoroids arrive on
our planet every day, and most of them burn up in the upper atmosphere.
But there is no atmosphere on the Moon, so meteorites reach the surface more easily.
Micrometeorites on the moon NASA has been trying to find out how often
they occur and how dangerous this could be to an astronaut the impact of these micrometeorites,
so they have made several observations of the darkest part of the Moon in recent years
to determine how often this happens.
Regarding the more minor impacts, two main projects tried to determine this scientifically.
The first is the NELIOTA project launched by the European Space Agency ( ESA ), which
aims to determine the distribution and frequency of small near-Earth objects ( NEO ) by monitoring
lunar impact flashes.
The NELIOTA project has established an operational system that began monitoring the Moon for
faint NEO impacts in early 2017, using the Kryoneri 1.2m telescope, located in the northern
Peloponnese, in Greece.
The first phase of the NELIOTA campaign ended in January 2021.
And during that period, he managed to capture a large number of impacts on the lunar surface,
as you can see here: NASA also launched its meteorite impact lunar
observation project, monitoring the lunar surface and trying to detect various impacts,
both projects being relatively successful.
Curiously, the average number of impacts on the Moon turned out to be relatively high;
approximately eight impacts per hour would generate some type of flash on the surface;
this was much more than we imagined since it was discovered that the Moon receives approximately
170 meteorite impacts per day!
Although most are relatively small and hard to see, in terms of size, all of these rocks
are thought to be at least as big as a ping pong ball.
In addition, they move at very high speeds of more than 20 kilometers per second, so
most produce a small explosion equivalent to 3 or 10 kilograms of dynamite.
However, the rock seen on February 23 was much larger, at least 2 meters across, which
statistically seemed to occur at least every four years.
In this case, the explosion is much more powerful, equivalent to about 1000 tons of TNT!
Meteor strike risk One of the most apparent effects of meteorite
impacts on the Moon is craters.
These are circular depressions in the lunar surface from a few meters to several kilometers
in diameter.
Craters are formed when a meteorite impacts the lunar surface at high speed, gouging a
cavity in the rock.
But craters aren't the only effect of meteorite impacts on the Moon.
They also produce changes in the composition of the lunar surface and can release gases
and particles that scientists can study.
For example, meteorite impacts can produce vapors and gases ejected from the Moon.
These gases and vapors can be detected by telescopes and space probes, allowing scientists
to study the composition of the Moon and its origin.
Meteor impacts can also produce materials that are deposited on the lunar surface.
Scientists can study these materials better to understand the Moon's composition and evolution.
Additionally, meteorite impacts may be an essential driver of change on the lunar surface.
Craters and the surrounding areas can be transformed by the action of the solar wind, radiation,
and thermal changes, producing a variety of shapes and textures that scientists can study.
All this demonstrates the importance of investigating meteorite impacts on the Moon.
It not only allows us better to understand the composition and evolution of our natural
satellite but also gives us valuable information about the origin and history of the solar
system.
But, also are a severe concern for scientists as it puts the future of human-crewed space
missions to the Moon at risk.
The future of manned lunar missions is at risk
Impacts can cause damage to spacecraft sent to the Moon and equipment used to explore
the lunar surface.
Even a small impact can affect a spacecraft's critical systems, such as navigation and life
support systems.
Let's remember that the Moon does not have a dense atmosphere that can protect it from
meteors, meaning that impacts are more common and dangerous.
Even a tiny meteorite impacting the lunar surface can cause an explosion, generating
debris and fragments that could endanger astronauts or lunar facilities.
Therefore, steps must be taken to minimize the risk of meteorite impact.
One of the ways to do this is through tracking and monitoring meteorites that approach the
Moon.
Technologies could also be developed to divert meteorites that pose an imminent danger.
Any future lunar bases would need adequate protective measures to mitigate the risk of
meteorite impact.
Impact-resistant shelters could be built, or even technologies developed to detect and
deflect meteorites before they impact the Moon.
In addition, meteorite impacts on the Moon can alter the lunar surface and affect future
mission planning.
Impacts can create craters and debris, making it difficult for a spacecraft to land safely.
They can also alter the lunar topography and make some areas more challenging to explore.
Defense methods Now that we know that meteorite impacts on
the moon are much more frequent than we thought 50 years ago, many scientists have raised
some ideas to defend against them, so far the two most accepted are:
1.
Create impact resistant shelters This is one of the most important strategies
to protect astronauts and facilities on the Moon from micrometeorite impacts.
The Moon does not have a significant atmosphere, which means that objects that impact the lunar
surface are not decelerated and vaporized as they are on Earth.
Therefore, micrometeorite impacts on the Moon can be more dangerous and destructive than
Earth's.
Impact-resistant shelters can be designed as underground structures or remarkable domes.
In the case of underground structures, an underground structure can be built that is
strong enough to withstand a micrometeorite impact and minimize the amount of debris generated.
In addition, the underground location offers additional protection against extreme temperature
variations and solar radiation.
On the other hand, remarkable domes can be designed with impact-resistant materials and
protective walls that absorb impact energy and reduce the debris generated.
These domes can be used to protect astronauts during their stay on the lunar surface and
to store necessary equipment and materials.
2.
More resistant suits Protective materials can include layers of
impact-resistant materials, such as Kevlar or fiberglass fabric, which can line spacecraft,
equipment, and tools used on the lunar surface.
Additionally, materials are being developed that have self-healing properties, allowing
them to recover after an impact.
These materials can be used to construct lunar structures like shelters and research stations.
Some of these materials are designed to fill cracks and crevices that form after an impact,
minimizing the chance of new cracks forming in the structure.
The use of protective materials may be the only feasible method in the short term since
it does not require as much infrastructure and is relatively cheap, in addition to being
very useful for the following human-crewed space missions to the Moon since they can
protect astronauts, from micrometeorite impacts in transit to the Moon or working on the lunar
surface.
Shielding materials can also protect equipment and tools used on the lunar surface, which
can help extend equipment life and reduce replacement costs.
Are we safe?
What is the probability that one of these large meteorites will damage any structure
or base built on the Moon?
How likely is it that someone will get hurt?
Fortunately, the statistics here are in our favor due to the large surface area of the
Moon, a meteoroid the size of a ping pong ball can only hit the same sector every 1000
years or so, so it is almost unlikely to damage any structure that we build.
The takeoff modules of the Apollo missions on the lunar surface are still in the same
place without undergoing any change since, after more than 50 years, they have not been
hit by any meteorite.
Because of this, the chances of an astronaut being struck by one of these rocks is about
1 in a million, surprisingly even less likely than lightning on Earth.
That is, an astronaut is less likely to be struck by a meteor on the Moon than to be
struck by lightning on Earth.
At least, this is what the preliminary calculations say.
However, there are still many micro collisions and much smaller rocks that we still don't
understand or about which we know very little.
But not to worry, let's remember that modern spacesuits are designed to withstand these
collisions and, therefore, should not be a concern for astronauts on future missions
to the Moon.
Investigation of meteorite impacts on the Moon is crucial to the success of future manned
space missions to our natural satellites.
Micrometeorites and other space objects pose a constant threat to the construction of a
permanent lunar base.
But, with a better understanding of meteorite impacts, we can develop more effective defense
strategies and technologies to protect astronauts on the lunar surface.
Additionally, investigating meteorite impacts on the Moon is essential to the scientific
understanding of the universe and our exploration and growth as a species.
It inspires us to dream big and reminds us that we can achieve any goal we set our minds
to.