ESA title
SMART-1 impact area
Science & Exploration

SMART-1 impact: last call for ground based observations

17/08/2006 2253 views 2 likes
ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science / SMART-1

If you are a professional or amateur astronomer and want to contribute to the final phase of the SMART-1 mission, join ESA on the impact ground observation campaign.

Like most of its lunar predecessors, SMART-1 will conclude its scientific observations of the Moon through a small impact on the lunar surface. This is planned to take place in the lunar Lake of Excellence, located at mid-southern latitudes. A trim manoeuvre at the end of July has determined that the impact will most likely occur on 3 September 2006 at 07:41 CEST (05:41 UT), or at 02:36 CEST (00:36 UT) on the previous orbit due to uncertainties in the detailed knowledge of the lunar topography.

If impacting on 3 Sept at 07:41 CEST, SMART-1 will touch the Moon at the lunar coordinates 36.44º South and 46.25º West. If impacting on 3 September at 02:36 CEST the lunar coordinates will be 36.4º South and 43.5º West.

The Lake of Excellence is very interesting from the scientific point of view – it is a volcanic plain area surrounded by highlands, but also characterised by ground mineral heterogeneities.

“We call for ground-based observations mostly to study impact physics, the release of spacecraft volatiles, and the lofted soil mineralogy,” says Bernard Foing , SMART-1 Project Scientist at ESA. “We look for fast imaging of the impact and of the associated ejected material, and for spectroscopic analysis, for example to find hints about the mineralogy of the impact area.”

“Even if the impact at 2 kilometres per second is of modest energy, the plume might be observable if it reaches sunlight, with an amateur telescope or binoculars,” continues Foing. “For sites not covering the time of impact, we ask for context observations before and after impact to look for the ejecta blanket”.

A number of worldwide observatories have already confirmed their participation to the campaign. They include the network of VLBI Very Long Baseline Interferometry and radio observatories, the South African Large Telescope SALT, the Calar Alto observatory in Andalucia, Spain, the ESA OGS Optical Ground Station at Tenerife, Spain, the CEA Cariri observatory in Brazil, the Argentina National Telescope, the Florida Tech Robotic telescopes, NASA IRTF and Japanese telescopes at Hawaii, as well as a number of professional and amateur astronomy telescopes around the world, and the ODIN observatory from space.

ESA invites the scientific community and amateur astronomers to join in the observation campaign. For more information follow this link.

For more information

Bernard Foing, ESA SMART-1 Project Scientist
Email: Bernard.Foing @ esa.int

Related Links

Lunar view of the SMART-1 impact area
Science & Exploration

Last weekend chance to observe SMART-1 impact site in sunli…

18/08/2006 794 views 1 likes
Read
SMART-1 impact area
Science & Exploration

SMART-1 impact: last call for ground based observations

17/08/2006 2253 views 2 likes
Read
SMART-1 trajectory up to Moon impact
Science & Exploration

SMART-1 towards final impact

04/08/2006 3795 views 4 likes
Read
The Westerbork radio telescope
Science & Exploration

European and worldwide radio telescopes listen to SMART-1

21/07/2006 1937 views 2 likes
Read
SMART-1 trajectory up to impact
Enabling & Support

SMART-1 manoeuvres bring Moon impact to nearside

19/07/2006 1553 views 0 likes
Read
Remote-sensing instruments on SMART-1 scan the Moon's surface
Science & Exploration

The SMART-1 way - giving the Moon some great new looks

12/07/2006 1414 views 1 likes
Read
SMART-1 artist's impression
Enabling & Support

SMART-1 manoeuvres prepare for mission end

23/06/2006 2140 views 0 likes
Read
Illustrating the SMART-1 'push-broom' imaging mode
Science & Exploration

SMART-1 uses new imaging technique in lunar orbit

22/12/2005 1372 views 0 likes
Read
Artist's impression of SMART-1
Science & Exploration

SMART-1 set for more lunar science

26/09/2005 2064 views 1 likes
Read
SMART-1 artist's impression
Science & Exploration

SMART-1 mission extended

15/02/2005 978 views 0 likes
Read
Artist's impression of the SMART-1 mission
Science & Exploration

Europe reaches the Moon

05/11/2004 1088 views 0 likes
Read
Artist's impression of SMART-1 ion engine
Science & Exploration

Mission update: SMART-1 fires engine for last time until th…

29/10/2004 679 views 0 likes
Read
Artist's impression of SMART-1
Science & Exploration

Last ion engine thrust puts SMART-1 on the right track for …

18/10/2004 1310 views 0 likes
Read
Artist's impression of the SMART-1 mission
Science & Exploration

SMART-1 celebrates its first year in space

27/09/2004 994 views 0 likes
Read