Brian
Cudnik
Coordinator
PVAMU Department of Physics
Prairie View,
mailto:cudnik@sbcglobal.net
This
program is designed to standardize and coordinate amateur observations of
meteoroid impacts on the Moon. This field has exciting possibilities but only
if the observations are done in a uniform manner and pooled to look for
confirmations of positive observations. Anyone interested in participating
should contact the Coordinator above for further information. The Coordinator
maintains an "Impact"
e-mailing list of regular participants, e-mail him if you would like to be
added to the list. Click
here to read the full mission statement.
What's New (01/21/10)?
Classic Impact Alert Notices and Updates
Upcoming Observing Opportunities
Lunar Impact Plots (1999-2006) by Peter Gural
Links to Lunar Impact Information
Lunar Impact Alert Notices!
Opportunities to Observe Lunar Meteor
Impacts!
The next significant opportunity for lunar
meteor observations does not occur until the Lyrids in April. The moon will be
one day past First Quarter, with the northern half of the darkened hemisphere
favored for meteoroid impacts. The eta Aquarids in early May also present an
opportunity, this time with the Moon at Last Quarter. Information about these and other
opportunities to observe lunar meteors in 2010 can be found by clicking here.
Observers are also requested to monitor the
moon for up to 10 nights per month in support of the NASA-MSFC effort to
regularly patrol the moon, from a waxing crescent of 10% illumination to the
first quarter (50% illuminated) phase and again from last quarter to near new
moon. Current estimates predict up to
260 impacts per month of objects of 1 kg or greater on the lunar surface, many
of which can be captured with ground-based equipment. Thus, it is important to
observe the moon as much as possible in order to refine these estimates, which
will become even more useful since NASA plans to send astronauts back to the
moon by 2020. The LMIS is coordinating monthly campaigns for 2010. The dates of
each campaign, both routine and related to annual meteor showers, are now posted here.
The
Latest Impact Observations!
Robert Spellman, Griffith Observatory
Telescope Operator, reported a Lunar Orionid impact candidate that he has
recorded: “I recorded a flash on 2
frames, the best time I could get was 2:08:45 UT 10/22/09. This is very
uncertain due to very poor radio reception from station WWV. My Boss Tony Cook
was observing visually from
Back in October, LRO reported seeing a
faint plume in images over-exposing the bright part, enabling the faint plume
to be recorded. From the ground, nothing was seen, based on numerous reports
from ground-based observers using instruments which ranged from 8 inches on up
to the 200 inch Hale telescope, with adaptive optics, at Palomar Observatory in
Lunar
Meteoroid Impacts and How to Observe Them!
The book is now available for purchase at
bookstores as well as online. One can go to Springer’s website and find
more information about the book, at http://www.springer.com/astronomy/book/978-1-4419-0323-5. One can also
go to Amazon.com and get it for as little as $17.56 (used) off the publisher
price; the website is (it looks truncated so if this link does not work, simply
go to www. amazon.com and type in the title of the book in the search field,
and it will come up)…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Further impact observations reported last year are provided
next:
A confirmed lunar meteor impact was spotted
by George Varros at 01:45:26UT on April 28, 2009. This was a sporadic
meteoroid, too dim for LunarScan to pick up, but spotted upon close visual
inspection of the videotape after a call for a confirmation by the MSFC group.
Their remote telescope was experiencing cloudy weather rendering it unavailable
for a remote confirmation. This underscores the importance of mutually
supportive observations to provide backup and confirmation of events that may
be detected by one party, but missed by a second due to weather. A third party
would then have the potential to make the confirming observation. For more
information on this and other such surprises, visit
http://www.lunarimpacts.com/lunarimpacts.htm.
One impact candidate from the recent
Quadrantid stream has been reported by Mr. George Varros. The event occurred at
0:26UT 3 January 2009 and more information can be found at http://www.gvarros.com/002622_curve.jpg. Mr. Varros and I videotaped the Moon again
between 23:30UT, January 3 and 2:45UT, January 4, but no impact candidates were
observed during this interval.
NASA-MSFC effort now has 188 impact
candidates (as of December 15, 2009). The dates, times, selenographic
coordinates, and source (sporadic or shower) are included in the table on their
home page (link below). Observers are encouraged to carefully check their
videotapes near these dates/times for corroborating impact signatures. Please
visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/lunar/index.html for
information on these impact candidates. The number of impacts recorded by this
group serves as a reminder that these events are happening on a regular basis
and is a motivator for individuals to keep up the observations in support of
this and lunar meteor work in general. The locations of the candidates on the
lunar surface can be viewed on the above link.
LunarScan
1.4 by Peter Gural now Available!
The latest
version of the automated detection software is ready for download. Go to http://www.gvarros.com/lunarscan.zip to download a copy. This version is usable for formats up to 720x576
(PAL). The software is free under the condition that you provide impact flash
observations (date/time/location) to NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the
e-mail address listed under "Contact Us" at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/lunar/index.html.
I will be
posting a tutorial and some tips from experienced users in the near future (by
the end of January or sooner).
Definitions to Describe Quality of Lunar
Meteor Observations
In order to better qualify the probability of an observation
being genuinely impact in nature, we have adopted a definitive classification
scheme. The descriptors are given below
- Confirmed Observation: Those impacts observed by at least two
independent observers separated by at least 50 km (30 mi) within 2 degrees
of latitude and longitude on the moon and 2 seconds of time (99%
confidence).
- Tentatively Confirmed Observation: Those impacts observed by at least
two independent observers separated by less than 50 km (30 mi) within 5
degrees of longitude and 5 seconds of time (95% confidence).
- Probable: Those impacts observed by a single
observer having the characteristics of an impact observation--appearing on
two or more video frames, a measurable point-spread-function (i.e.
appearing similar to a star), and/or confidence at least 80%.
- Candidate: Any impact observation submitted by
a single observer with a confidence of at least 50%.
With these criteria in place, we can better group observations in
terms of quality and estimate the likelihood of the observation being that of
an actual impact event. It is very possible that a candidate could be
elevated to the status of "confirmed" with the corroborative
observation of a second independent observer, as stated in the qualifications
above.
Lunar Impact
Plots
Included are the plots made for meteor showers with ZHR's greater
than 10 that occur when the Moon is favorably placed for the observation of
impact flashes from Earth. In addition to the plots for 2005 and 2006,
plots for 1999 to 2004 are also included for archival purposes. Click on
the following link for impact plots showing when the Moon will be favorably
placed to observe possible lunar meteor impacts on its surface from annual meteor
showers. Only when at least some of the dark side of the Moon is
presented to the Earth, and the terrestrial ZHR of the shower exceeds 15, is
the plot for that particular shower (terrestrial) maximum provided. Many
thanks to Peter Gural of Science Applications International Corporation for
providing these impact plots. Also note that the LunarScan program is capable
of producing lunar impact plots for any shower and any lunar phase; interested
parties are encouraged to refer to the documentation that goes with the program
for more information.
Lunar Impact Plots--Archives
Lunar Impact Plots--Current Observable Events
2005-2061 for 7
major annual showers
Lunar Impact Information
About the Lunar Meteoritic Impact Search Program, Observing
Resources, Information, and Guidelines
Mission Statement,
General Purpose, and Goals
Archived
Lunar Meteor Alerts
How to Make Lunar Meteor Observations and
Related Resources
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/pdf/166643main_MinimumSystemReq
uirements4.pdf
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/pdf/166651main_FAQ2.pdf
A Guide to Observing Lunar
Meteors I: General
A
Guide to Observing Lunar Meteors II: Video
Lunar Impact
Plots for Upcoming Meteor Showers
Lunar Meteor Observation
Report Forms
A.L.P.O. Lunar
Meteoritic Impacts Search Report Form (LMIS-RF) #1
Instructions
and Tips on How to Fill out the Report Forms
Recent Observations
George
Varros Lunar Meteor Home Page
NASA Lunar
Meteor Impacts Monitoring
Robert Spellman Lunar
Meteor Home Page
General Information and Historical
Observations
Worthy of Resurrection: Two past ALPO Lunar Projects
Lunar Leonids 2001
Robert McNaught's predictions of the Moon's Encounters with
Dust Trails (1997-2006)
Predictions for Lunar Leonid Impacts
Lunar Leonids 2000
Click here to learn how people were watching for meteor hits
during the 2000 Leonid event
Lunar Leonids 1999
Leonid
flashers...on the Moon (before the Storm)
Observing Leonids on the Moon (before the Storm)
A Leonid on the Moon? (First News of Possible Impact Sightings)