After last week’s NASA public relations fizzle, when their lunar
probe didn’t appear to produce any visible signs of a much
touted plume rising into space, it seems they have been
partially vindicated. According to the agency’s news
announcement on Friday, the trailing LCROSS probe did in fact
snap photos of the resulting impact explosion by its booster
rocket when it hit the moon. The crash created a crater about
one-fifth the size of a football field inside the shadowy bottom
of a 98 km wide crater near the south pole last week. Mission
scientists are not yet ready to say what the plume was made of
but space buffs are hoping that it was filled with water. Read
more on the incoming results on LCROSS mission’s website.
Editor’s note: Take a peek at my latest Weather Network – Night
Sky show video on the left-side bar or on the Videos page. Also
check out the new scrolling Sky Calendar on the left-sidebar
that gives a brief heads-up on the major astronomical events for
the coming weeks. With plenty of notice,