William Atkins
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:19
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 2
The Japanese Kaguya spacecraft will end its mission with an impact on the Moon. The Wednesday, June 10, 2009 crash is likely to be seen by people in Asia and Australia at approximately 1825 Universal Time (UT). Find out what time the crash will occur locally for you.
The Kaguya spacecraft, also known by the name SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) was launched at 10:31:01 a.m. Japanese Standard Time (JST) on September 14, 2007, from the Tanegashima Space Center.
The word Kaguya comes from the name of a lunar princess in Japanese folklore, specifically in the story “
Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.”
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) spacecraft called
Kaguya will be traveling at a speed of about 6,000 kilometers (3,730 miles) per hour when it makes a controlled impact on the lunar surface at its southeastern limb.
According to the JAXA
Web site, the expected impact location will be on the near-side, night-time area of the Moon at: East longitude of 80.4 degrees (E80.4); South latitude of 65.5 degrees (S65.5).
The southern hemisphere impact zone is near the Gill crater, which is southwest of the Mare Australe and the Helmholtz crater, and southeast of the Pontecoulant crater.
A map is provided on the JAXA site.
With a mass of approximately 2,600 kilograms (5,730 pounds), scientists are saying that a bright flash or a debris plume "may" be seen by observers using telescopes.
They are unsure exactly of the magnitude of the flash or plume, or even if one will be seen on Earth.
Page two concludes with a time conversion to your local time, along with other information on the impact event.
