Lunar Impact Flashes

Abstract

A still image of a typical impact flash observed by NELIOTA. Credit: ESA/NOA.

Lunar impact flashes occur when meteoroids or asteroids hit the lunar surface. Those can be observed, preferably on the un-illuminated side of the Moon, with sensitive cameras.

LPE is represented in the science team of the mission LUMIO. This ESA-funded mission (with ASI as main contributor) will send a CubeSat ‘behind the Moon’. From there, a camera operating at several frames per second will observe the far side of the Moon. LPE is represented in several of the scientific working groups.

We are also testing the ground-based observation of these flashes. D. Koschny was leading the development of an ‘open-source’ software, the so-called Flash Detection Software, when still working at ESA. Currently, this software is being tested.

Publications

Topputo, F.; Merisio, G.; Franzese, V.; Giordano, C.; Massari, M.; Pilato, G.; Labate, D.; Cervone, A.; Speretta, S.; Menicucci, A.; Turan, E.; Bertels, E.; Vennekens, J.; Walker, R.; Koschny, D. (2023-01-01). "Meteoroids detection with the LUMIO lunar CubeSat". Icarus. 389: 115213. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115213. ISSN 0019-1035. S2CID 251828587.
LIF observing log, TKO-FO-001/1.1, 08 Jul 2023.
Kurz, T., Hard- and software development of a moon guiding system for telescopes. LPE SA-2023/07, Jul 2023.