{
  "id": 139418,
  "title": "A SpaceX rocket will hit the moon at 5,000 mph tonight. Experts explain what you could see, and when.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/a-spacex-rocket-will-hit-the-moon-at-5-000-mph-tonight-experts",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-04T16:36:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Science",
    "slug": "live-science",
    "url": "https://www.livescience.com/space/the-moon/a-spacex-rocket-will-hit-the-moon-at-5-000-mph-tonight-experts-explain-what-you-could-see-and-when"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On August 5, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's spent upper stage is expected to crash into the moon at around 5,000 mph (8,748 km/h). Two recent studies suggest the impact could be visible through telescopes in North and South America, providing astronomers with a rare chance to observe the event in real-time.\n\nThe impact will occur near the moon's Einstein crater, with the rocket striking the lunar surface at a relatively slow speed of 5,436 mph (6 times slower than a natural asteroid impact). However, the resulting flash of light will be too faint to be seen with the naked eye, and the crater itself is likely to be too small and shallow to be visible from Earth.\n\nWhat viewers might be able to observe instead is the plume of lunar regolith and potentially water vapor that will be launched from the impact site. This plume could reach heights of up to 31 miles (50 km) and may be visible above the lunar limb as a cloud for up to 7 minutes. Scientists believe the plume could be seen with a good backyard telescope, provided the observer knows exactly where to point it and can account for atmospheric refraction.\n\nWhile the impact itself may not be easily observable, the study of the resulting plume could provide valuable insights into how human-made objects affect the lunar surface. This knowledge will be useful for future lunar missions, helping researchers understand the potential impacts of disposing of upper stages and other debris on the moon.",
  "summary": "An upcoming collision of a Falcon 9 rocket part with the moon may be visible from Earth with telescopes, new research suggests. Here's what scientists and skywatchers are hoping to see.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Space.com",
        "title": "A SpaceX rocket will crash into the moon this week. Why is it on a collision course?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/a-spacex-rocket-will-crash-into-the-moon-this-week-why-is-it-on-a",
        "published": "2026-08-03T21:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Scientific American",
        "title": "A SpaceX rocket is about to hit the moon—these videos show what could happen",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/a-spacex-rocket-is-about-to-hit-the-moon-these-videos-show-what-could",
        "published": "2026-08-04T13:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "TechRadar",
        "title": "SpaceX rocket set to crash into the moon at seven times the speed of sound — but the 5,400 mph impact is entirely expected, and might even prove useful for NASA",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/spacex-rocket-set-to-crash-into-the-moon-at-seven-times-the-speed-of",
        "published": "2026-08-04T21:05:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Fortune",
        "title": "Elon Musk says SpaceX data centers will crush competitors because having rocket scientists is like the Yankees ‘playing a little league team’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/elon-musk-says-spacex-data-centers-will-crush-competitors-because",
        "published": "2026-08-04T23:37:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Science",
        "title": "What can scientists learn from a stray SpaceX rocket hitting the Moon?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/what-can-scientists-learn-from-a-stray-spacex-rocket-hitting-the-moon",
        "published": "2026-08-05T11:19:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "SpaceX rocket stage believed to have slammed into Moon, NASA to collect data",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/spacex-rocket-stage-believed-to-have-slammed-into-moon-nasa-to",
        "published": "2026-08-05T12:31:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Phys.org",
        "title": "SpaceX rocket stage believed to have slammed into the moon",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/spacex-rocket-stage-believed-to-have-slammed-into-the-moon",
        "published": "2026-08-05T15:38:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}