Detection of an Impact Flash Candidate on the Moon with an Educational Telescope System

Kim, Eunsol; Kim, Yong Ha; Yu, Jaehyung; Lee, Eung-Seok; Kim, Kyoungja

doi:10.5140/jass.2015.32.2.121

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(8 reference statements)

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“…However, analogous to several previous studies [10,18,23,36], we used the LunarScan software (developed by Peter Gural) on the recorded videos to perform automated detections of transient events in the field of view. LunarScan determines impact candidates by searching for clusters of pixels that exceed the set threshold above the lunar background; the candidates are displayed for user confirmation upon completion of the analysis [18].…”

Section: Verification For Flash Candidatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A minimum separation of 50 km between the sites is recommended by [21], while another study affirms that a distance of 10 km suffices [36]. However, what is important is not the distance between the sites but the parallax from the two sites.…”

Section: Confirmation Of Lunar Activity Naturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The latter is semi-automatic and based on a cross-match with images from the detailed lunar map provided by the VMA software after some processing steps, which are described in [12]. In fact, a number of other studies have used VMA images as a reference for positioning, e.g., [13,36]. Another interesting and much more complex automated approach has been recently proposed [3].…”

Section: Positioning On the Lunar Surfacementioning

confidence: 99%

“…From that, it was possible to reach the next step, which consisted of accurately superimposing the flash area on an image that was georeferenced (or, perhaps more accurately, "selenographically" referenced). Such an image was acquired from the VMA software, in which it is possible to set the date and time (which is important to account for libration, for instance, as also noted by [12,13,36]), and obtain a gridded image for that moment. Figure 7 was then cropped, rescaled, and rotated in order to carefully match the underlying reference image from the VMA software.…”

Section: Positioning On the Lunar Surfacementioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of the First Optical Detection of a Meteoroidal Impact on the Lunar Surface Recorded from Brazil

et al. 2022

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Two lunar flashes are reported and fully analyzed, with one of them fulfilling every criterion preconized in the literature for the characterization of an impact, including confirmation by two simultaneous observations. It happened at 07:13:46 UT on 14 December 2017, at the selenographic coordinates of 9.79° (±0.06°)N and 45.42 (±0.07°)E. The peak magnitudes in the R and V bands vary from 6.3 to 7.9 and from 7.4 to 9.0, respectively, depending on the observatory, as the cameras’ exposure times were considerably different. The impactor mass is estimated to be between 1.6 and 2.0 kg, with a diameter of 10 to 11 cm, having produced a crater of 8.4 to 8.9 m in diameter. Results for the second flash are also presented and discussed, although the confirmation of an impact was not possible due to a pause in the recordings at one of the sites. The observations took place as part of an inaugural observing campaign in Brazil for lunar impact flash (LIF) detection conceived by the Brazilian Meteor Observation Network (BRAMON) and were carried out by two teams located in different states in the Northeast Region of Brazil, about 353 km apart from each other, at a time when the Moon was crossing the densest part of the Geminid meteoroid stream in 2017. The observing setups included 0.13 m and 0.2 m telescopes, both equipped with sensitive cameras. The Maceió setup probably delivered the finest definition ever reported in the literature for lunar impact monitoring, resulting in high-accuracy positioning. This will certainly aid in finding the associated crater from orbiter images, which will substantiate another work, aimed at performing a comparative analysis between the results from our photometry and the data retrieved by the LRO images. These observations were also very likely the first and the only one so far made by a normal framerate camera and a long-exposure camera simultaneously. The associated benefits are commented on. The source of the impactors is also discussed. In view of the successful results of this experience, national observing campaigns of this kind will be given continuation.

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Section: Verification For Flash Candidatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Confirmation Of Lunar Activity Naturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Positioning On the Lunar Surfacementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Positioning On the Lunar Surfacementioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of the First Optical Detection of a Meteoroidal Impact on the Lunar Surface Recorded from Brazil

et al. 2022

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Detection of impact-produced dust clouds near the lunar terminator

Berezhnoy

Velikodsky

Zubko

et al. 2019

Planetary and Space Science

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Plausible Detection of Feasible Cave Networks Beneath Impact Melt Pits on the Moon Using the Grail Mission

2022

Remote Sensing

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In the future, when humans build their bases on terrestrial planets and their moons, caves will be the safest place for inhabitation. Large holes, believed to be cave entrances, have been discovered on the Moon, along with small features called “impact melt pits.” In the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) gravity model, which is expressed in spherical harmonics (SH), it is difficult to express the gravity anomaly created by a small empty space below the surface. Nevertheless, we propose that a cave network, akin to an anthill, exists under the impact melt pits discovered on the Moon. This is because we think it is natural to apply a network created by Earth’s small caves to the Moon. We obtained accurate Bouguer gravity measurements by calculating regional crustal density using localized admittance of the study area and detected weak gravity (mass deficit) information. By increasing the degrees and order of SH at regular intervals, we estimated the change in gravity at a specific position at high degrees and order, thereby extracting shallow depth information. To validate our method, we compared our results with those of existing studies that analyzed the previously known Marius Hills Hole (MHH) area. The analysis of seven regions in our study area revealed a mass deficit in some impact melt pits in four lunar regions (Copernicus, King, Stevinus, and Tycho). We propose that there is a cave network in this region, indicated by the gravitation reduction in the impact melt pits region. Our results can be useful for the selection of landing sites for future in situ explorations of lunar caves.

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Detection of an Impact Flash Candidate on the Moon with an Educational Telescope System

Cited by 3 publications

References 6 publications

Analysis of the First Optical Detection of a Meteoroidal Impact on the Lunar Surface Recorded from Brazil

Analysis of the First Optical Detection of a Meteoroidal Impact on the Lunar Surface Recorded from Brazil

Detection of impact-produced dust clouds near the lunar terminator

Plausible Detection of Feasible Cave Networks Beneath Impact Melt Pits on the Moon Using the Grail Mission

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