Astronomer spots asteroid smashing into the moon [View all]

A Spanish astronomer says he witnessed a fridge-sized asteroid smash into the moon, in the biggest lunar impact by a space rock ever recorded.

The rare episode was seen by Jose Maria Madiedo, a professor at the University of Huelva, Britain's Royal Astronomical Society said.

On September 11 last year, Madiedo was operating two lunar-observing telescopes when he spotted a flash in the Mare Nubium, an ancient, dark lava-filled basin.

The flare, which occurred at 8.07pm GMT, was briefly almost as bright as the northern hemisphere's Pole Star, the society said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/astronomer-spots-asteroid-smashing-into-the-moon-20140225-33dyj.html#ixzz2uOWsQZSY