Lunar Flash

September 11, 2013 – Lunar observers in Spain were startled to see a super bright and enduring blast on the moon’s surface.

It’s estimated that an object about the size of a small car slammed into the Mare Nubium basin of the moon, and created a bright enough flash to be seen with the naked eye from earth. The flash lasted around 8 seconds.

Astronomer José M. Madiedo said, “When I saw it on the screen, I realized I had witnessed a rare and unusual event. It was really huge. I couldn’t imagine such a bright event.”

The impact was estimated to be the equivalent to 16 tons of TNT blowing up. It left a crater about 40 meters wide.