I really enjoyed reading and gaining further insights into what was going to happen, what I might be able to see, why it matters and more. Since there was at least a chance of seeing it, I decided to brave the early hours (or late if you are a night owl) to check it out.
In the wee hours of the morning on August 5, 2026, at approximately 2:35am EST US time ( 5 hours later in England, 6 hours later in the nearest parts of Europe), advanced telescopes and surveillance were focused on the moon. It was anticipated that the Falcon 9 upper stage rocket would leave a substantial crater and plume of dust reaching high above the moon. This would be visible to surveillance and, at least possibly visible, via telescopes. Several people, at least thousands on several streams, watched in anticipation of seeing the first visible occurrence of a man-made object striking the moon. Several people, myself included, were excited after being assured by NASA and Spacex that there was no cause for alarm on Earth. Keep that in mind because that is part of the issue.
I enjoyed my morning cup of coffee this morning, in a favorite coffee cup, in relative safety on Earth more protected by our atmosphere than I would have been on the surface of the moon. The Falcon 9 upper stage rocket that hit the moon was actually launched in January of 2025. Yes that long ago. That long ago noone thought that would be a problem. But space is space so various factors including the moon itself apparently changed that.
NASA and Spacex with cooperation from other organizations will be researching and utilizing data gathered about the Falcon 9 upper stage rocket collision with the moon. NASA and Spacex will use this data to study the debris, the debris field and its affects to address the safety concerns for future trips to the moon and for on-site facilities on the moon.
Things strike the moon occasionally. The last time a man made object struck it was on the dark side of the moon so noone could observe it to study it. Being on the observable side is one of the things that makes this one different.
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