Astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II mission observed as many as six flashes on the far side of the moon. The flashes came from small meteorites impacting the lunar surface. The impacts produced brief bursts of light visible from thousands of kilometers away.
During a flyby of the moon's far side, the Artemis II crew spotted the flashes emerging from the lunar surface, according to a WIRED report published Wednesday. These events involved small meteorites colliding with the ground, creating visible light from the impacts. The moon routinely encounters space debris, with larger pieces generating glows detectable over vast distances, as noted in the coverage. The Orion spacecraft carried the astronauts as they made this unexpected observation. Such meteorite strikes highlight the dynamic environment around the moon, though the crew continued their mission without reported issues. No further details on the exact timing or size of the meteorites were provided.
