AI Generated Image
New Moon crater revealed in first pictures of Space X crash
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- South Korea's Danuri spacecraft captured the first images of the crater formed when SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket crashed into the Moon after drifting in space for over a year.
- The rocket debris hit the lunar surface at approximately 5,400 mph, with the impact equivalent to three tons of TNT, creating a new crater visible in before and after photos.
- The collision was unintentional, caused by a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces altering the rocket's trajectory, with no risk posed to Earth.
- Despite expectations, amateur astronomers could not observe the crash flash from Earth, though NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was positioned to capture its own images.
- The incident highlights growing concerns among astronomers about space debris and its impact on the near-Earth environment.
