[AstroNet] lunar impact today!

[Kevin Govender]

Hi all

In a few hours there will be a historic event taking place on the moon! 
(Note that South African Time is UTC+2 hours)
See below...

 

On Friday the 9th October at 1130-UTC,  the  LCROSS lunar main 
spacecraft  will  "hit"  the moon's surface near it's south-pole with a  
"projectile"  to analyze the moon's crust composition by flying through 
the generated impact plume!    After the analyzed data is send back to 
earth,  the spacecraft will hit the moon as a second impact.

 

The following link will connect you to the three WEBB-broadcasted SLOOH 
telescopes (In Canary-islands, Australia and Chili)  to watch the 
impact.   Also visit this URL to learn about the SLOOH project,  which 
normally costs $6 per month to use,  but will be free for viewing this 
specific impact:

http://www.slooh.com/LCROSS/nasa_moon_event/lunar_crater_observation_sensing_satellite.php?gclid=CNXf-tXamZ0CFQGZ2Aod63mE2A

 


Extract from the website:


SLOOH Space Camera is happy to announce we will be providing free LIVE 
Telescope Feeds of NASA's LCROSS Lunar Impacts on October 9, 2009

Earth's closest neighbor is holding a secret. In 1999, hints of that 
secret were revealed in the form of concentrated hydrogen signatures 
detected in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles by NASA's 
Lunar Prospector. These readings may be an indication of lunar water and 
could have far-reaching implications as humans expand exploration past 
low-Earth orbit. The Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite 
(LCROSS) mission is seeking a definitive answer.

In April 2006, NASA selected the LCROSS proposal for a low-cost, 
fast-track companion mission to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). 
The main LCROSS mission objective is to confirm the presence or absence 
of water ice in a permanently shadowed crater near a lunar polar region.

Image Courtesy of NASA
LCROSS conists of a shepherding spacecraft and the Centaur upper stage 
of the Atlas 5 launch rocket. The shepherding spacecraft will allow 
NASA's scientists to precisely aim the Centaur spacecraft at an area of 
the Moon expected to contain water. On final approach, the shepherding 
spacecraft and Centaur will separate. The Centaur will act as a heavy 
impactor to create a debris plume that will rise above the lunar 
surface. Projected impact at the lunar South Pole is currently: Oct 9, 
2009 at 1130 UTC (0730 Eastern, 0430 Pacific). Following four minutes 
behind, the shepherding spacecraft will fly through the debris plume, 
collecting and relaying data back to Earth before impacting the lunar 
surface and creating a second debris plume.

The debris plumes are expected to be visible from Earth and space-based 
telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger. SLOOH will be showing free live 
feeds (weather permitting) from two locations, New Hampshire and Arizona.

The LCROSS science payload consists of two near-infrared spectrometers, 
a visible light spectrometer, two mid-infrared cameras, two 
near-infrared cameras, a visible camera and a visible radiometer. The 
LCROSS instruments were selected to provide mission scientists with 
multiple complimentary views of the debris plume created by the Centaur 
impact.

As the ejecta rises above the target crater's rim and is exposed to 
sunlight, any water-ice, hydrocarbons or organics will vaporize and 
break down into their basic components. These components primarily will 
be monitored by the visible and infrared spectrometers. The 
near-infrared and mid-infrared cameras will determine the total amount 
and distribution of water in the debris plume. The spacecraft's visible 
camera will track the impact location and the behavior of the debris 
plume while the visible radiometer will measure the flash created by the 
Centaur impact.


-- 

Kevin Govender
Manager: SALT Collateral Benefits Programme / SA Chair for IYA2009
South African Astronomical Observatory, a facility of the NRF
Office: +27 21 460 9350
Mobile: +27 82 487 8466
Fax: +27 21 447 3639
Email: kg at saao.ac.za / Skype: kevindran / Twitter: govender
Websites: www.saao.ac.za / www.salt.ac.za / www.astronomy2009.org.za / www.developingastronomy.org
Postal: P.O. Box 9, Observatory, Cape Town, 7935, South Africa
Street: SAAO, Observatory Road, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa

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