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A catastrophic asteroid shower hit Earth & moon 800 million years ago
The impact might have triggered the Ice Age.
23 July, 2020
Pixabay
- A new study examined data on lunar craters to gain a better understanding of ancient impact events on Earth.
- Although scientists know of some ancient impacts on Earth, weather and erosion makes it hard to study impacts that occurred beyond 600 million years ago.
- Studying craters on the moon can provide some clues.
<p>Since Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, it's been bombarded by countless asteroids, meteors and other space objects. We know of some of the major incidents. The Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico, for example, formed when a meteorite, between 7 and 50 miles in diameter, slammed into the planet 66 million years ago. </p><p>But if you rewind further back in history, 600 million years ago, all signs of impacts have been covered up by erosion, volcanoes and other natural resurfacing processes.</p><p>The moon is a different story. Without weather and erosion, the 59 large craters on the lunar surface have remained virtually unchanged over the ages. And scientists can study these ancient lunar craters to get a better understanding of the space objects that likely hit Earth in the distant past, before the sands of time concealed the evidence. </p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwODU3MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMDc4OTg4M30.4p9fQFLT30erlkALdhn8yStqjME4zrnuNw5by1YaQUc/img.jpg?width=980" id="bcbc1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8101dc64c13c61705b841147ede834bb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Chicxulub impact crater" />
Chicxulub impact crater
NASA
<p>In a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17115-6" target="_blank">Nature Communications</a>, a team of researchers examined data collected by Japanese Space Agency's lunar orbiter Kaguya. The team determined that a massive asteroid shower hit the Earth-Moon system about 800 million years ago, when Earth's early multicellular animals were just undergoing their first splits.</p><p>This catastrophic event likely occurred after an asteroid 62 miles in diameter was disrupted and struck both the moon and Earth. The total mass of the shower was far greater than that which created the Chicxulub crater, and it might've triggered the ice age, according to the researchers.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwODU3Mi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMDg3NjQ0NX0.TPZU9sBwd-g1rhnvaIHrDUajqELcB9ETzfP6yCv-9UA/img.png?width=980" id="5ef0c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4be478d45a7f2dd3f78a83839f46c3b3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Lunar craters" />
Eight lunar craters that were likely formed simultaneously.
Terada et al.
<p style="margin-left: 20px;">"...it is not strange that an asteroid shower 800 million years ago might have triggered the Ice age, because a total mass flux 800 million years ago is 10 -100 times larger than those of Chicxulub impact and/or a meteoroid shower 470 million years ago," Kentaro Terada, lead study author and professor at Osaka University in Japan, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/world/moon-earth-asteroid-shower-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>.</p><p>By measuring the density of the smaller lunar craters that lie inside bigger ones, the team determined that eight of the moon's 59 craters likely formed at the same time. NASA data supports this hypothesis. In 1969, the Apollo 12 mission collected lunar samples ejected from the 58-mile-wide Copernicus crater. The samples were estimated to be 800 million years old.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwODU3NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjA0OTU1NH0.vYXFrDbgeAsFJlES10kU3NzoN6vNPix8BqbPB591Kx0/img.png?width=980" id="1d6f8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="086589ba1a39847a884e57f68aae289f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Lunar craters" />
Terada et al.
<p>Although no complex animals would've been around to witness the impact on Earth, the asteroid shower could've brought elements to Earth that "influenced marine biogeochemical cycles" and caused "severe perturbations to Earth's climate system and the emergence of animals," the authors wrote.</p><p>Catastrophic impacts like these are extremely rare, occurring only once every 100 million years or so. In modern history, the most recent major impact was likely the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event" target="_blank">Tunguska event</a>, which occurred in Eastern Russia in 1908 when a meteor blitzed through the atmosphere and exploded, leveling some 80 million trees over 830 square miles, possibly killing several people.</p>
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'Ring of fire' solar eclipse will occur this weekend. Here's how to watch.
It could be the most spectacular annular eclipse of the decade.
19 June, 2020
NASA
- An annular eclipse is a type of solar eclipse where the edge of the Sun remains visible around the Moon.
- The June 21 annular eclipse will occur when the Moon is nearly at its apogee, the point in the lunar orbit when the Moon is farthest away from Earth.
- Only some countries will be able to see the eclipse in person, but several organizations plan to livestream the event.
<p>The Moon will briefly block out most of the Sun this weekend, offering people in Asia and Africa a chance to see a "ring of fire" solar eclipse.</p><p>The phenomenon is known as an annular eclipse, which is a type of solar eclipse where the edge of the Sun remains visible. (The name derives from the Latin word annulus, which means "little ring.") Annular eclipses occur about once a year, but the eclipse on June 21 will be particularly spectacular because it'll occur when the Moon approaches its apogee, the point in the lunar cycle when the Moon is farthest away from Earth.</p><p>Because the Moon will be especially distant from Earth, it won't obscure the whole Sun. Rather, the Moon will obscure roughly <a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/space-astronomy/international-space-station-virtual-tour" target="_blank">99 percent of the star</a>, allowing a "ring of fire" to appear, in what will be a near-total solar eclipse. </p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9f9aec2d521472fa8fab255fe621ca1d"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UJfpqSj7cCs?list=RDUJfpqSj7cCs&rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Annular eclipses are similar to total eclipses in that the moon, Earth and sun are aligned so that the moon moves directly in front of the Sun as viewed from Earth," Alex Young, associate director for science in the heliophysics science division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/17/world/solar-eclipse-june-2020-trnd-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>.<br></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"But a total eclipse does not happen, that is the moon does not completely block out the visible disk of the sun because the moon is farther away and so its apparent size in the sky is [slightly] smaller than the sun. This means that a tiny ring of annulus of the solar disk is visible around the moon."</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQwNDgxMC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjE2OTg5MX0.dgmQU3JLUQSoRUpx5Z79c0WYNayijdIzDrdyxizU3ck/img.png?width=980" id="1656b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7173141f599392f46dac09dd839e88b9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="annular eclipse map" />
timeanddate.com
<p>The annular eclipse may also provide views of the Sun's chromosphere — a pinkish layer of burning hydrogen — and "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baily%27s_beads" target="_blank">Baily's beads</a>," a visual effect of solar eclipses where streams of sunlight travel across the moon's rugged topography. The eclipse will begin at 12:47 a.m. ET and will last several hours, but each specific location on Earth will only be able to see it, weather permitting, for about one minute. </p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQwNDgxMy9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTYzODI2M30.9O6tJXA4If73DbCITi8-7T6yMbJWrMYfdCOnKX98Aew/img.gif?width=980" id="ee8d7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4e9d678800dfff438ea1875393725691" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Animation of eclipse moving across the globe" /><p>The eclipse will only be visible for some parts of Earth, including parts of Central and East Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, Oman, Saudia Arabia, Pakistan, Northern India, and South Central China. You won't be able to see the eclipse in person if you live in the Americas, but everyone can livestream it on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SloohLive" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Slooh" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZIt_aqvoRCrWifA1Fe9roQ" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. For more information on the eclipse's path and time of visibility, check out <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2020-june-21" target="_blank">timeanddate.com</a>.<br></p><p>In 2021, another "ring of fire" eclipse will occur on June 10, and it'll be visible at sunrise from northern Ontario and northern Quebec.</p>
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A 'Strawberry moon' eclipse is happening on Friday. Here's how to watch it from home
On Friday, the moon will pass through the Earth's outer shadow, known as the penumbra.
04 June, 2020
Matt Cardy / Getty
- Two lunar events will occur on Friday: a full moon and a penumbral eclipse.
- A penumbral eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's outer shadow, causing the moon to appear slightly darker.
- The eclipse will only be visible to some countries, but the Virtual Telescope Project is providing a livestream.
<p>The first full moon of June — known as the Strawberry moon — will rise on Friday, June 5. This year, the Strawberry moon coincides with another lunar event: a penumbral lunar eclipse.</p><p>What will the moon look like Friday? No matter where you live, it will appear unusually low in the sky. That's because the Strawberry moon occurs closest in time to the summer solstice (June 20), which is when the sun is highest in the sky. </p><p>The Strawberry moon may also appear unusually big. But that'd only be because of the moon illusion, which describes how the mind perceives the moon to be bigger the closer it appears to the horizon. This illusion can make <a href="https://www.space.com/31287-giant-moon-illusion-all-in-your-head.html" target="_blank">constellations appear unrealistically large</a>, too.</p>
<div id="578dd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bcfd0a657bf29ead3cb0756affa06f6a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="745251035749453824" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">A spectacular rise of the full moon just before sunset while flying over western China. https://t.co/pNWqaV4zLf</div> — Jeff Williams (@Jeff Williams)<a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Jeff/statuses/745251035749453824">1466516667.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The penumbral eclipse may cause actual changes to the moon's appearance. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into Earth's outer shadow, known as the penumbra. (Earth's inner shadow is called the umbra, and total lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes through both the penumbra and umbra.)</p><p>When a penumbral eclipse occurs, the moon may appear slightly darker than normal. But this year's eclipse will only be visible from "parts of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America," the Farmer's Almanac <a href="https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-june" target="_blank">reports</a>. For people in North America, the moon will be below the horizon when the eclipse occurs.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM3MjQ0Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTU1MDEzNX0.AU44EjCvFbhW7RcT7UH155M0YstAJXXrXxFSSpOB4JI/img.jpg?width=980" id="f9b15" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4f97f26a11b0872be696314f0f7529ce" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Phases of the Moon
NASA
<p>But the moon won't appear red or pink from any vantage point — the name "Strawberry Moon" is a Native American reference to strawberry harvest season. Other names for June's full moon include the Flower Moon, <a href="https://theturtleislandnews.com/index.php/2020/06/03/the-strawberry-moon-will-appear-this-week-followed-by-a-rare-annular-solar-eclipse/#:~:text=The%20Strawberry%20Moon%20will%20Appear%20This%20Week%2C%20Followed,a%20Rare%20Annular%20Solar%20Eclipse&text=In%20Europe%20it%20is%20known,mowing%20meads%20(or%20meadows)." target="_blank">Rose moon</a>, Planting moon, and Mead moon.</p>How to watch the Strawberry moon and penumbral eclipse
<p>The eclipse will start at about 1:45 P.M. E.T. on Friday. It will last for about three hours, but the best time to view the moon will be around 3:25 P.M. E.T., according to <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2020-june-5" target="_blank">timeanddate.com</a>. If you can't view it in person, check out The Virtual Telescope Project's <a href="https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/" target="_blank">livestream</a>.<br></p><p>The <a href="https://earthsky.org/?p=333122" target="_blank">next time a full moon coincides with a penumbral eclipse will be July 4.</a> The first full moon of July is often called the Buck moon, and next month the full-moon eclipse will be visible from North America, though it'll be faint.</p>
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4.33-billion-year-old crystal linked to an ancient collision on the Moon
New analysis of Apollo 17 sample reveals clues to the Moon's violent history.
13 May, 2020
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images
- Researchers make new discovery in an Apollo 17 rock from 1972.
- The 4.33-billion-year-old sample reveals clues to the Moon's violent history.
- The Moon was likely bombarded by giant meteorites in its early days.
<p>Our Moon likely had a very violent past, reveals <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-020-1092-5" target="_blank">new research</a>. A group of international scientists discovered that the ancient rocks of the Moon were likely formed as a result of impacts from giant meteorites.</p><p><span style="background-color: initial;">The scientists, led by researchers of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), analyzed a rock brought from the Moon by NASA astronauts of the 1972 Apollo 17 mission. The found it was created at the scorching temperatures of over </span><span style="background-color: initial;">2300 °C/ 4300 °F. You get this much heat when the outer layer of a planet undergoes a major hit.</span></p><p>Further clues of the rock's origins in meteorite bombardment were revealed by the traces of <strong>cubic zirconia, </strong>a diamond-substitute that forms at temperatures above 2300 °C. The crystal eventually changed to the more stable mineral <strong>baddeleyite</strong> around <strong>4.3 billion years ago</strong>, but it still betrays its initial structure. </p>
Moon mission 2.0: What humanity will learn by going back
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-media_id="4H6l2xhL" data-player_id="FvQKszTI" data-rm-shortcode-id="fd2eb2a69a1aed4b82241b02ed13feb5"> <div id="botr_4H6l2xhL_FvQKszTI_div" class="jwplayer-media" data-jwplayer-video-src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/4H6l2xhL-FvQKszTI.js"> <img src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/thumbs/4H6l2xhL-1920.jpg" class="jwplayer-media-preview" /> </div> <script src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/4H6l2xhL-FvQKszTI.js"></script> </div><p><strong>Dr. Lee White,</strong> Postdoctoral Fellow at the <a href="https://www.rom.on.ca/en" target="_blank">ROM</a>, explained that the Moon's rocks can be invaluable in figuring out the history of our planet. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Rocks on Earth are constantly being recycled, but the Moon doesn't exhibit plate tectonics or volcanism, allowing older rocks to be preserved," <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-05/rom-a1s051120.php" target="_blank">shared Dr. White.</a> "By studying the Moon, we can better understand the earliest history of our planet. If large, super-heated impacts were creating rocks on the Moon, the same process was probably happening here on Earth".</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI3ODI5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTE3Nzk0MX0.Jvi0S6WQ_9YFpURHQrk2Z6eWQvDWqr-_8-myXlXSHZw/img.jpg?width=980" id="e9d8a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3b8dcb87255a99032a956761378c5ff1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Apollo 17 commander Eugene A. Cernan stands by the American flag during his second space walk. He was the last man to walk on the Moon on December 12, 1972.
Photo by NASA/Donaldson Collection/Getty Images.
<p>The study's co-author <strong>Dr. James Darling </strong>from the University of Portsmouth stated that the new analysis of the samples upends the view of the Moon's geology. "These unimaginably violent meteorite impacts helped to build the lunar crust, not only destroy it," he added.</p><p>Check out the study in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-020-1092-5" target="_blank">Nature Astronomy.</a></p>
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Space exploration is the ultimate plan B. Here’s why.
Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? Because they didn't have a space program.
02 May, 2020
- Space exploration is more than just the ultimate adventure, our study and investigation of space yields great scientific rewards, says astronaut Garrett Reisman.
- Earth is wonderful, but it won't last forever, so it's important that we maintain a big picture view to ensure the survival of the human species.
- Exploring space is our ticket to "the ultimate plan B," according to Reisman. If there were to occur a mass extinction event on Earth, the humans that inhabit another planet in our solar system will be the only hope of human survival.
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