Early this morning at 4:31AM Pacific Time, NASA sent the 2.5 ton LCROSS Centaur rocket screaming on a collision course with what we’ve hoped to be an ice-filled crater at the Moon’s south pole (called Cabeus Crater).

And the resulting impact was totally AMAZING sucky. I’ve seen more spectacular car wrecks. And I’m glad I didn’t sit outside with a telescope at 4:30 in the morning looking for this.

HERE’S THE VIDEO:



NOT SUCKY BONUS ROUND:
NASA/JPL’s 2005 Deep Impact probe collision with Comet Tempel 1 (nice, big explosion).

The JAXA (Japan’s Space Agency) 2007 SELENE/Kaguya probe passing ~50km over the surface of the Moon; watch the Earth rise at 1:20.

Tags: disappointment, explosions, news, outerspace, sciencey stuff
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