NASA to broadcast LCROSS impact live.

For those that are not going to be able to watch through a telescope for whatever reason, NASA is going to be streaming the LCROSS impact starting at 5:30am CST on October 9th. The actual impact is going to be closer to 6:30am CST. I know that where I am, the sun will already be up so NASA TV is my best chance to see it live. For those of you on the Pacific Coast, weather permitting, I would recommend finding an observation event in your area. I can say with some degree of certainty that every telescope capable of observing this WILL be pointed at the moon that morning.

The NASA stream will be at the usual www.nasa.gov...

I have a few friends out on the west coast that have video camera's already set up for their telescopes and if they will allow it, I will post videos from them here as soon as I can.

EDIT: Added date. Sorry for the confusion, its been a long day and its only 1:00pm

[edit on 4-10-2009 by zombiemann]

reply to post by zombiemann


I'm confused by the times, was this for today and already happened?

reply to post by zombiemann


Damn is this happening today? arrgh Im all the way in the UK and its cloudy! I hate British weather, hope someone on ATS takes a video or some pics and uploads it here... Really want to see this!

Star and flag for reminding me of this event.. thanks..

oct 9th
look at the site

www.nasa.gov...

Oct 9th

reply to post by gusan


Ok thanks.. will be hoping the weather is better here then...

Perhaps something will prevent LCROSS from bombing the moon... would be interesting if we get reports of a "accident".

reply to post by Copernicus


Call me dumb or whatever but, why bomb the moon anyway? they 'supposedly' sent astronauts to the Moon to do various experiments and take samples so shouldnt they of been able to see whether water exists or did once exist on the moon then or not?

Hmmm.... the whole thing seems weird to me anyway.


Edited a spelling mistake...

[edit on 4-10-2009 by justjoemusic]

reply to post by justjoemusic


What they tell the public:

LCROSS will excavate the permanently dark floor of one of the Moon’s polar craters with two heavy impactors in 2009 to test the theory that ancient ice lies buried there. The impact will eject material from the crater’s surface to create a plume that specialized instruments will be able to analyze for the presence of water (ice and vapor), hydrocarbons and hydrated materials.

Source: NASA

True? Probably not. They havent been interested in what the moon contains for over 50 years. And now all of a sudden they go there to see if there is water?

Mkey.


[edit on 4-10-2009 by Copernicus]

reply to post by Copernicus


Yes thats what stumps me, why the Moon now? maybe something is there that they don't want India or Japan to find?? or could this be a start of disclosure? I won't hold my breath on that though...

Originally posted by justjoemusic
reply to post by Copernicus

 

Call me dumb or whatever but, why bomb the moon anyway? they 'supposedly' sent astronauts to the Moon to do various experiments and take samples so shouldnt they of been able to see whether water exists or did once exist on the moon then or not?

Hmmm.... the whole thing seems weird to me anyway.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

There aren`t any explosives involved so it is more of a projectile than a bomb .
From NASA .

The upper stage of the launch vehicle (about the weight of a large SUV) will impact into either the North or South Pole of the Moon at over 9,000 km/h (5,600 mph).

link


Its a rather crude piece of science in many ways, but considering the expense involved in conducting any off world experiments , it a way to use what would of otherwise become space junk and its potential energy, to punch into the the lunar regolith exposing the subsurface . This is something an astronaut couldn`t do , as this impact will leave a crater the size of 1/3 of a football pitch to a depth of a swimming pool .

It would remind you a little of those early pioneering archaeologists and their use of dynamite .


The plume of dust and (hopefully) ice will extend over 30 miles high , i presume this is why it will be visible from Earth .

[edit on 4-10-2009 by UmbraSumus]

reply to post by zombiemann


Thanks for the news. Was a bit disappointed earlier when I read that the impact was scheduled for 7:30 am EDT, but my scope isn't in the class expected to be able to spot it anyway. Weather permitting is always a factor, too. It could be visible West of the Mississippi.

Glad they plan to televise it. I hope the results are released quickly.

reply to post by elfie


Im in a similar situation scope wise. My 6" dobsonian just isn't going to cut it. even if it was enough, I am to far east of the Mississippi so light is going to be an issue

Originally posted by justjoemusic
they 'supposedly' sent astronauts to the Moon to do various experiments and take samples so shouldnt they of been able to see whether water exists or did once exist on the moon then or not?

I've read that the some of the samples returned were "damp", but there wasn't a way to tell if it was from the Moon or contamination from Earth when they were brought back. It was impossible to know for sure. Studies of the rocks themselves show no hydrated minerals within them. The frozen water or hydroxyl seems to be formed more within the top layer of Lunar soil. Plus the concentration is stronger towards the poles and most of the Apollo missions landed close to the equator.

Originally posted by Copernicus
True? Probably not. They havent been interested in what the moon contains for over 50 years. And now all of a sudden they go there to see if there is water?

Over 50 years? Your numbers are a little off. The last Apollo mission happen 37 years ago. In '94 the Clementine Orbiter had a Bistatic Radar instrument that was designed to look for evidence of water. In '98 the Lunar Prospector was sent to also look for more evidence of water among other things. At the end of the mission they crashed it into the Shoemaker crater near the south pole, hoping to kick up a plume of debris, but it wasn't detected. In '99 the Cassini spacecraft took a look at the Moon on it's way to Saturn and also detected evidence of water.

So clearly NASA has been interested in what the Moon contains over the years. And that the search for water is not a new thing either.

sorry but I never get this time zone stuff!

Can some nice person please tell me what time that would be in Melbourne Australia time zone?

Thanks in advance!

Google is your friend, but this time I'll be a nice guy As i type this it's about 4:00pm your time and 12:00am my time, so it would be a +16 hour offset. I'll let you do the rest of the math, it impacts at approx 6:30am my time and broadcast starts at 5:30am my time

Originally posted by watchZEITGEISTnow
sorry but I never get this time zone stuff!

Can some nice person please tell me what time that would be in Melbourne Australia time zone?

Thanks in advance!

11:30 pm Friday night.

reply to post by zombiemann


I was going to ask, what are my odds of seeing at 7:30 am with an 8" scope? Probably not good huh? I'm going to try anyway.

I had very similar thoughts NGC, but my view will be obstructed light not withstanding. I am reading differing guidelines for telescope viewing. Some are saying 10" some are saying 8". Like I said though, hopefully weather permitting I will have video to post from friends out on the west coast. Not to mention the live broadcast by NASA that I am sure all the NASA detractors will say was editing during the live stream. I don't know of a single scope capable of even remotely watching this that isnt going to be pointed at the moon friday morning.

Anyone know the time that it will be uk time?
i would figure it out but i have to go do my washing up >_