[math-fun] meteors hit moon

Since 2005, NASA's moon impact-monitoring program has observed more than 300 meteorite strikes on the lunar surface as visible flashes. But I presume they can only detect (in this way) flashes on the part of the moon facing the Earth and not facing the sun. The largest was 11 Sept 2013 and dug a crater about 40 meters in diameter. It was thought to be due to a 400 kg rock traveling at 17 km/sec and the flash would have been easily visible with the naked eye (if you were looking and it was night). Allegedly: Rock diameter 0.6 to 1.4 meters; energy 15 tons TNT. Obviously, it was a plot by Al Qaida. -- Warren D. Smith http://RangeVoting.org <-- add your endorsement (by clicking "endorse" as 1st step)