NASA Moon "Bombings" Tomorrow: Sky Show, Water Expected

Nat. Geographic ^

[traumer]

With its "bombing" of the moon early tomorrow, NASA's LCROSS mission may beat a telltale signature of water out of a shadowy crater—and all you may need to see it is a good backyard telescope.

LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) and its rocket will begin slamming into the South Pole just after 4:30 a.m. PT.

The LCRCOSS collision should reveal how much water ice exists in the permanently shadowed craters of the moon. Some theories suggest the lunar pits hold vast stores of water.

Unlike most cosmic impacts, though, the LCROSS crashes will have an audience: Many amateur astronomers in the Americas will have their telescopes trained on the impact site. Even more can watch the LCROSS moon impact on the NASA TV Web site.

Only North, Central, and South America will be facing the moon at the time of the LCROSS impact, allowing astronomers and stargazers there a rare view, experts say.

[originalbuckeye]

That’s 4:40AM Pacific time?

[martin_fierro]

This thread WILL be useless without pix.

[originalbuckeye]

Sorry. 4:30AM Pacific Time?

[buffyt]

We went to Houston’s MFAH last weekend for the new MOON Exhibit, in honor of the moon landings in the 1960s. Great exhibit. John Connolly of NASA was featured lecturer and he told us about the moon bombing. I can’t help but think of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe, where they blew up the earth.

Check it out...http://www.mfah.org/moon/

[freebird5850]

I hope NASA gets good footage of this. I also subscribe to Nat Geo magazine.

[buffyt]

[Pontiac]

and all you may need to see it is a good backyard telescope.

Not quite.

I have the telescope but here in NE Ohio there weather report is 70% chance of rain.

[buffyt]

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/overview/index.html

[SparkyBass]

This is really gonna upset those 7’ tall moon-people who dress like Quakers. :(

[steve86]

I have the telescope but here in NE Ohio there weather report is 70% chance of rain.

There? On the moon?

[buffyt]

Image above: Technicians at Northrop Grumman gently maneuver the LCROSS spacecraft into the thermal vacuum chamber. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA, courtesy of Northrop Grumman.

[buffyt]

Many photos of the bomb and moon, what they think it will look like at....
http://www.greatdreams.com/moon/2009/atlas_5_moon.htm

[Man50D]

We landed men on the moon forty years ago and now we’ve regressed to slamming a satellite into the moon. Pathetic.

[SERKIT]

Is this Barry's solution to stopping the oceans from rising? Is this to make sure global cooling doesn't happen? Bomb the moon and control the tides?
"Where's my moon?"

[buffyt]

[buffyt]

[buffyt]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5523481985091852675#

They showed this 1902 silent film A TRIP TO THE MOON at the MFAH in Houston Saturday. Fascinating.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Wont be able to see it from the Eastern time zone anyway

[Filo]

Sorry. 4:30AM Pacific Time?

Correct.

I'll have my 10" Meade out on the driveway. :)