Lunar Flashes presented by Dr Tony Cook, Aberystwyth University

Lunar Impact Flashes

When meteorites strike the Moon, apart from producing a small crater, a tiny fraction of the energy involved goes into making a brief flash of light. Using amateur telescopes it is possible to detect these from the Earth and learn something about the impact. Using high resolution NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter images, taken sometime before and after the impact, it is then possible to find the location of the crater. Up until now astronomers have looked for impact flashes on the night side of the Moon, but by using infrared cameras, at Aberysywth University we are now looking for impacts on the day side of the Moon in order to increase the otherwise observing opportunities.

Our Speaker

Dr Tony Cook is a Research Lecturer at the Department of Physics at Aberysywth University. He did his PhD at the former Polytechnic of Wales, and has worked on planetary research project in DLR Berlin and at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in washington DC. He is also an amateur astronomer, a former member of the Cardiff Astronomical Society and is currently the Acting Director of the BAA Lunar Section.