Bye Bye Moon...

[Patrick Long]

7:30am EDT 4:30am PDT Nasa is launching two rockets (LCROSS- Lunar CRator Observation and Sensing Satellite) into the moon in two different stages.

It will be visible from the most simple telescope as it will throw a cloud of dust 6.2 miles into the sky...


Check it out...I already got my alarm set!


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LC...ain/index.html

[rabernet]

Well poo! I'll be at work, but it will be raining - so no moon view for me.

[Patrick Long]

Live Stream of all pre launch protocols and operations.

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/lc...ur-separation/

[Neal]

Ok, not to sound stupid, but why are they doing this?

[Patrick Long]

They are looking for water particles.

[m00kfu]

Ok, not to sound stupid, but why are they doing this?

Because the man in the moon was making funny faces at us.

[Neal]

Because the man in the moon was making funny faces at us.

Now you have to make up something sort of truthful.

[Eventide]

Unfortunately, you'll need a telescope bigger than 10-12 inches across to see the plume that the craft will make on the moon.

[Patrick Long]

Unfortunately, you'll need a telescope bigger than 10-12 inches across to see the plume that the craft will make on the moon.

Not what I read online, OR heard on the news.

It says that the plume will be visible from the SIMPLEST of scopes.

[mainbutter]

I've heard you need a 'medium' telescope.. whatever the heck that means.

a 6 mile tall plume is expected.

let's imagine for sake of argument it's 6 miles wide in diameter and circular as well.

what kind of magnification would you need to see a marked difference in a 6 mile radius on something as far away as the moon?