Japanese Astronomer Records Rare Moment of a Meteor Striking the Moon

Photo byArya WinartoonUnsplash

Meteorite seen smashing into the moon.

On February 23, 2023, Daichi Fujii from the Hiratsuka City Museum in Japan made a significant astronomical observation, capturing the moment when a meteor struck the moon.

Using multiple telescopes, Fujii recorded the bright flash created by the impact. While meteoroid collisions on the moon are not unusual, capturing one in real-time with such precision is a rare event.

This observation has provided valuable insights into the nature of these impacts and the potential threats they might pose.

The meteor that hit the moon created an impact crater estimated to be about 12 meters in diameter. (“Japanese astronomer catches meteorite smashing into the moon| Space.com”)

Given the lack of an atmosphere on the moon, meteoroids hit its surface unimpeded, allowing them to retain their full size and velocity upon impact. By contrast, Earth’s atmosphere acts as a protective shield, causing smaller meteoroids to burn up before reaching the surface.

The size of the meteor that struck the moon is estimated to be the size of a baseball based on the size of the crater it produced.

Had this meteor been on a collision course with Earth, it likely would have burned up in the atmosphere before reaching the surface.

Typically, meteoroids that are less than a football field in size disintegrate or explode in the atmosphere, producing brilliant meteor streaks or fireballs. Therefore, the impact would have posed no significant threat to life or infrastructure on Earth. (“Meteors & Meteorites Facts | Nasa.gov”)

However, if a meteor of this size managed to survive its descent, the energy released upon impact would be far less than that observed on the moon due to the atmospheric deceleration, potentially resulting in a smaller crater or less damage.

The energy released by the lunar impact was significant. Estimates based on the size of the crater suggest the energy of the impact to be comparable to several tons of TNT.

The lack of atmospheric friction allowed the meteor to hit the lunar surface at full speed, likely traveling at several kilometers per second. On Earth, an impact of this magnitude would be rare but could occur in remote areas without causing major damage.

While the meteor that struck the moon was no threat to Earth, Fujii's observation highlights the value of monitoring space objects and understanding their behavior upon impact.