SpaceX rocket set to crash into the Moon
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket upper stage is on a collision course with the Moon due to gravitational forces and solar activity. Scientists hope to observe the impact to study the resulting debris plume.
Why it matters
The event provides a rare opportunity for astronomers to study lunar impact dynamics and debris behavior in real-time.
A SpaceX rocket's upper stage is set to unintentionally crash into the Moon this morning, a collision that poses no danger to Earth but will leave behind a lunar crater.
Scientists and amateur stargazers alike are looking forward to observing the sunlit plume of rubble and debris that is expected after the Falcon 9 upper stage strikes the lunar surface at around 7.35am Irish time.
"It might be possible for folks with a telescope to observe the plume of ejecta created by the impact," said Benjamin Fernando of Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, the lead author on a recent paper on the anticipated impact.
"It is unclear how bright it will be, which is one of the reasons why we are looking to study this event," the researcher said.
Assuming all of the propellant is spent, authors of the paper estimate the spacecraft weighs approximately 4,000kg.
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