Wednesday, May 22, 2013

NASA captures a huge explosion on the Moon, caused by the impact ... - Net & Tech

NASA recorded on video, on the 17th of this month, a violent explosion on the Moon, caused by the impact of a meteoroid.

NASA researchers who monitor the moon Á about 8 years already sensed hundreds of impacts, but none as spectacular as this. “For about 1 second, the site of the impact shone like a star of magnitude 4,” said NASA.

According to the U.S. space agency, the meteoroid (1) was about 46 cm in diameter and weighing approximately 45.5 kg, but shifted- at a speed of 56,000 miles per hour (approximately 90,000 km / hour). The shock was so violent that despite the small size of the meteoroid, caused a crater 20 meters in diameter.

According to NASA, the shock caused the explosion brightest ever detected in the history of their program. The U.S. researchers also say that the meteoroid fell on the moon with an explosive force equivalent to 5 tons of TNT.

NASA also detected numerous meteoroids entering Earth’s atmosphere. Fortunately for us, the atmosphere of our planete eventually burn the vast majority of “waste” space. The Moon, however, does not have this protective layer.

Watch now the video captured by the North American Space Agency, NASA.

(1) meteoroid definition according to Wikipedia:

  • Meteoroids are pieces of material that wander through space and, according to the International Meteor Organization (International Meteor Organization), have significantly smaller dimensions than a asteroid and significantly larger than an atom or molecule, distinguishing us from asteroids – bigger objects, or interstellar dust – micron or smaller objects.
  • meteoroids derived from celestial bodies such as comets and asteroids and may originate from the ejecta of comets which are closer to the sun, in the collision between two asteroids, or even be a fragment left over from the creation of the solar system. On contact with the atmosphere of a planet, a meteoroid gives rise to a meteor.
  • meteoroids that reach the Earth’s surface are called meteorites.

No comments:

Post a Comment