Scientists say a SpaceX rocket struck the moon as expected on Wednesday after spending about a year drifting away from its original course. The impact followed the rocket’s launch alongside two lunar landers.
No telescope directly recorded the moment of collision. However, astronomers using an instrument in Chile detected a plume of debris that they identified as the result of the high-speed lunar impact, providing evidence that the prediction was correct.
The event gives researchers an opportunity to study how an object hitting the moon produces and spreads debris. It also highlights the challenges of tracking rocket hardware after it leaves Earth and travels through space.
