TO CLOSE

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' rocket company, will launch a human mission on the Moon that will be the moon's first commercial landing.
UNITED STATES TODAY & # 39; HUI

Meteor impacts? Glittering moon dust? The golf clubs of astronauts?

Whatever they are, strange random flashes of light on the moon have puzzled astronomers for years. A fearless German astronomer decided that it was time to find out what they are.

"These so-called" transient lunar phenomena "are known since the 1950s, but they have not been adequately and consistently observed in the long run," said Hakan Kayal, professor of space technology at the university. of Würzburg, in a statement.

According to Kayal, lightning occurs several times a week. Sometimes they are only brief flashes of light, while others can last longer. Sometimes, some places seem to darken temporarily, he said.

Although scientists do not understand exactly what causes lightning, theories abound: they may be meteor impacts, which would cause a brief glimmer. Or maybe lightning is electrically charged solar wind particles that react with moon dust.

Another theory: moon tremors. "Seismic activities have also been observed on the moon," said Kayal. "When the surface moves, gases reflecting sunlight can escape from inside the moon.This would explain the luminous phenomena, some of which last for hours."

Lunar lights intrigue astronomers. (Photo: Laurent Emmanuel, AFP / Getty Images)

In May, scientists worriedly announced that the moon was shrinking, according to a new study. This narrowing causes moonshells, which have been detected only recently.

Kayal's solution to solving this mystery is a powerful remote-controlled telescope, directed to the Moon, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which will take pictures and videos whenever it detects a flash. The telescope, which is in place in Spain, will offer scientists a trove of images to explore, which should identify the source of lightning.

The next step would be a telescope dedicated to the moon placed in orbit around the Earth or even the moon itself.

Kayal said the interest in moonlighting was high due to a new race to the moon going on in China, India and the United States, as well as several private projects.

Thank you! You are almost registered for

Keep an eye on an email to confirm your subscription to the newsletter.

"Anyone who wants to build a lunar base at a given time must, of course, know the local conditions," said Kayal. "And if such projects were to become concrete, then by the latest, it should be clear what the mysterious lightning and the luminous phenomena are."

Automatic reading

Thumbnails poster

Show captions