I've had this question for a while now...

CometPhoenix · Dec 25, 2008

Ok, the Earth has meteor showers by drifting into the debris of a comet left over from the tail right? Well, wouldn't the moon get impacted too because we drag it through the tail with us and it doesn't have an atmosphere? If so, would it be possible to see an impact on the moon during a meteor shower?I'm just curious why we never hear of any impacts on the moon during showers. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> What ever happens, happens/Just call me Phoenix </div>

BoJangles · Dec 25, 2008

Yes they would impact the moon. Once the debris from comet trails enter the atmosphere, they are called micrometeorites, though they may look spectacular they are only about the size of a grain of sand or dust, those sorts of impacts are far too small to be resolved on the moon(as far as I know).Though someone with more knowledge in this area may shed some more light on things for us. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> -------------- Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog. With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... *** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research *** </div>

derekmcd · Dec 25, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Ok, the Earth has meteor showers by drifting into the debris of a comet left over from the tail right? Well, wouldn't the moon get impacted too because we drag it through the tail with us and it doesn't have an atmosphere? If so, would it be possible to see an impact on the moon during a meteor shower?I'm just curious why we never hear of any impacts on the moon during showers. Posted by CometPhoenix</DIV>They are rather common, actually.http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/27aug_explodingeclipse.htmhttp://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/02sep_lunarperseids.htm I'm sure if you google a bit, you might even find video.  No doubt you should be able to dig up some photos. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div> <div>"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</div> </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 25, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Ok, the Earth has meteor showers by drifting into the debris of a comet left over from the tail right? Well, wouldn't the moon get impacted too because we drag it through the tail with us and it doesn't have an atmosphere? If so, would it be possible to see an impact on the moon during a meteor shower?I'm just curious why we never hear of any impacts on the moon during showers. Posted by CometPhoenix</DIV> deredmcd gave you some links. The reason we don't hear about them in the popular press is that they are very faint, too faint to be noticed without a telecope focused on the moon. ANd while "common" in  an astronomical sense, you might only see one in many hundreds or thousands of hours of watching the moon through a telescope, and even then only on the dark side.The reason they are faint is that meteor shower meteoroids are very small, around the size of a grain of sand, so the lighht created at impact is quite limited.MW <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

3488 · Dec 25, 2008

Going through one of Derek's links there's this impressive video,Lunar meteoroid impact Tuesday 2nd May 2006. Taurid impacts Moon: Monday 7th November 2005. Andrew Brown.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

SLOW6 · Dec 25, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Going through one of Derek's links there's this impressive video,Lunar meteoroid impact Tuesday 2nd May 2006. Taurid impacts Moon: Monday 7th November 2005. Andrew Brown.  Posted by 3488</DIV>I also have a video of something passing closely by the moon (i dont think it impacts) during an eclipse. This occurs at just after the 23rd second on the clip... Meteor? I do know the owner of the video wrote UFO, im not trying to suggest it is. Well I suppose it IS if you dont know what it is! though im most definately not suggesting its aliens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZb5B7tbnm4 Check it out...  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> In an infinite Universe, any point can be said to be the centre as there are an infinite number of stars either side of that point...

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MeteorWayne · Dec 25, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I also have a video of something passing closely by the moon (i dont think it impacts) during an eclipse. This occurs at just after the 23rd second on the clip... Meteor? I do know the owner of the video wrote UFO, im not trying to suggest it is. Well I suppose it IS if you dont know what it is! though im most definately not suggesting its aliens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZb5B7tbnm4Check it out...  Posted by SLOW6</DIV> Not exactly the highest quality video, eh?Certainly a high altitude aircraft or even a bird come to mind. That speed would, I think, be consistent with a jet cruising at 30,000 feet crossing the lunar disk. That would be a pretty lucky shot!MW <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 27, 2008

Here's the NASA web site that tracks lunar meteor impacts:http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/lunar/They are only listed if they are detected on more than one telescope, since with only a single scope and CCD detector, the flash would be just as likely to be a cosmic ray on the CCD detector. Confirmation from two different scopes and detectors ensures that it really is a lunar meteoroid impact. (since by definition, the moon can not have a meteor as it has no atmosphere, it can only have a meteoroid impact).As you can see, the detection rate is fairly low, about 7 per month. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

kg · Dec 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>....while "common" in  an astronomical sense, you might only see one in many hundreds or thousands of hours of watching the moon through a telescope, and even then only on the dark side.The reason they are faint is that meteor shower meteoroids are very small, around the size of a grain of sand, so the lighht created at impact is quite limited.MW Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV> Would it be possible to detect collisions (of the type the is thought to have produced the moon) in very young solar systems where planets are forming?  I realize this might be a daunting task requiring tying up a very large telescope for a few decades.

SLOW6 · Dec 27, 2008

This is quite interesting because i've always thought, wouldn't you be unlucky if you got hit by one while on the moon. I mean, I know the probability is remote, but it is much more of a possibility than on Earth due to the atmosphere being almost non existent. Scare the crap out of me, the thought of being stood on the moon and looking at HOME from all that distance away. Cool, surreal but scary as heck!

<div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> In an infinite Universe, any point can be said to be the centre as there are an infinite number of stars either side of that point...

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MeteorWayne · Dec 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This is quite interesting because i've always thought, wouldn't you be unlucky if you got hit by one while on the moon. I mean, I know the probability is remote, but it is much more of a possibility than on Earth due to the atmosphere being almost non existent. Scare the crap out of me, the thought of being stood on the moon and looking at HOME from all that distance away. Cool, surreal but scary as heck!

Posted by SLOW6</DIV> It certainly could be unlucky! Some humans are at risk quite regularly: The spacewalkers at the ISS. They are above the atmosphere (well most of it) so have no protection from meteoroids. Fortunately space is very big, and meteoroids are very far apart even during a meteor storm. I asked  the shuttle astronauts once (through a WCBS news reporter who is a friend) whether they were able to see meteors below them, and they said yes, and it was a sobering thought to realize just a second before they were whizzing past them in space. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

SLOW6 · Dec 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>It certainly could be unlucky! Some humans are at risk quite regularly: The spacewalkers at the ISS. They are above the atmosphere (well most of it) so have no protection from meteoroids. Fortunately space is very big, and meteoroids are very far apart even during a meteor storm. I asked  the shuttle astronauts once (through a WCBS news reporter who is a friend) whether they were able to see meteors below them, and they said yes, and it was a sobering thought to realize just a second before they were whizzing past them in space. Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV> YUCK! that really gives me the 'willy's!!! I think a move I saw a long while ago had this occur during a space walk. I dont remember the name of the movie. Its the one where humans are actually exploring Mars and their little AI Rover type thing goes MIA as it starts thinking for itaelf and actually targeting and chasing the astronauts. Anyway, in a scene in that movie somewhere one of the astronauts gets some micro-meteoroids bust his suit and flesh for that matter. What WOULD actually happen if a space suit was breached like that in such a quick yet I suppose relativley small hole?  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> In an infinite Universe, any point can be said to be the centre as there are an infinite number of stars either side of that point...

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CometPhoenix · Dec 30, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>YUCK! that really gives me the 'willy's!!! I think a move I saw a long while ago had this occur during a space walk. I dont remember the name of the movie. Its the one where humans are actually exploring Mars and their little AI Rover type thing goes MIA as it starts thinking for itaelf and actually targeting and chasing the astronauts. Anyway, in a scene in that movie somewhere one of the astronauts gets some micro-meteoroids bust his suit and flesh for that matter. What WOULD actually happen if a space suit was breached like that in such a quick yet I suppose relativley small hole?  Posted by SLOW6</DIV> Well if you are floating around in space, then I'm guessing you'll have the air sucked out of your lungs. But Mars is full of Carbon Dioxide, so I guess you'll eventually run short of breath and pass out. And to get those images of the moon impacts and all that recorded data of impacts, do we have something constantly looking at the moon or something? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> What ever happens, happens/Just call me Phoenix </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 30, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Well if you are floating around in space, then I'm guessing you'll have the air sucked out of your lungs. But Mars is full of Carbon Dioxide, so I guess you'll eventually run short of breath and pass out. And to get those images of the moon impacts and all that recorded data of impacts, do we have something constantly looking at the moon or something? Posted by CometPhoenix</DIV> The martian surface atmosphere would qualify as a pretty good vacuum here on earth. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

silylene · Dec 30, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I also have a video of something passing closely by the moon (i dont think it impacts) during an eclipse. This occurs at just after the 23rd second on the clip... Meteor? I do know the owner of the video wrote UFO, im not trying to suggest it is. Well I suppose it IS if you dont know what it is! though im most definately not suggesting its aliens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZb5B7tbnm4Check it out...  Posted by SLOW6</DIV> Looks like a jet plane to me. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> petet = silylenePlease, please give me my handle back ! </div>

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