NASA Crashing Into Moon?

I was in a variety store this past week on my lunch, and saw an astronomy magazine that had an article about NASA crashing something into the moon in August, 2009.

Didn't get a chance to read the article or the money to buy the magazine, but has anyone else heard or read about this?

If this is true, is this something that will be visible or able to be photographed by Joe Average in his backyard? Or what would be required in order to at least view it?

Thanks...
Al

Is it this: http://www.lunarexplor​ers.net/node/538 ??

Thank you, that is it.

Hopefully, some POTN folks in those areas will be able to get some great photos.

Al

Anything?

I want to know, too! This sounds so exciting. I wonder if we could see up there what's going on..

They've picked the target. Hope you guys out west get to see something.

Hope there isn't, say, some invaluable artefact hidden in that crater they're bombing

I'd be very interested to see what comes of this!

This could be my first toe dip into astro-photography!

I've got about 30 days to

• sell enough camera gear to get a 12" telescope
  
• learn to properly mount it
  
• figure out the software
  
• get appropriate camera mount
  
• find a way to carry said 80lbs tube on a bus or amtrak
  
• transport from destination to viewing area

Quite looking forward to this, and I think I'll have to book the day as leave, just in case it's clear. I'll have my 11" scope by then, so just need to lug it all to somewhere with a clear shot to the west, where the moon will be setting, and will see what I can get. Would be preferable to take my laptop and webcam to get a video of the event, so a power-source or cigarette lighter adapter is required.

anybody think 100-400mm on a crop body will get anything? I am debating if it is worth getting up at 4am or earlier to give it a shot. It looks like the impact should be around 4:30am PST in the Cabeus A crater near the south pole.

unnerv wrote in post #8775125
anybody think 100-400mm on a crop body will get anything?

Might struggle, but I'd definitely give it a try.

I gather this event isn't going to be viewable from the UK now...the moon will be below the horizon. (I did almost contemplate packing my scope and taking a flight out to the States, but that would just be silly!)

according to nasa you need a telescope with a diameter of 10-12 inches or larger.

How does that translate to camera lens? That would give a good idea.

400TMY wrote in post #8777189
according to nasa you need a telescope with a diameter of 10-12 inches or larger.

How does that translate to camera lens? That would give a good idea.

sounds like a no go. On that site they say it won't be visible with binoculars which are rated about 8x to 10x. 400mm is roughly equiv. to 8x or so.

Thanks for the link.

Sorry guys and gals but you are not going to see it much less capture an image without the help of a 10" or bigger scope . Don't do something stupid and sell all your gear to see it cause it last such a short while and you can watch it live from NASA TV or on the web from NASA .