âSpectral linesâ and a giant plume: what science saw when the SpaceX rocket hit the moon | TheBriefWire
âSpectral linesâ and a giant plume: what science saw when the SpaceX rocket hit the moon
Published 6 August 2026 ¡ tech
Sodium and lithium gas was detected in a plume thought to span tens of kilometres, created when part of a SpaceX rocket crashed into the
Sodium and lithium gas was detected in a plume thought to span tens of kilometres, created when part of a SpaceX rocket crashed into the lunar surface A telescope in Chile has captured evidence of the impact caused by part of a SpaceX rocket slamming into the moon while travelling at 8,690km/h (5,400mph). The European Southern Observatoryâs (ESO) Very Large Telescope observed âspectral linesâ â a colourful illustration of the sodium and lithium gas â in the plume of lunar dust stirred up by the impact. Continue reading...
Published: August 6, 2026 ⢠10:17 AM IST ¡ Updated: August 6, 2026 ⢠11:08 AM ISTBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points
Sodium and lithium gas was detected in a plume thought to span tens of kilometres, created when part of a SpaceX rocket crashed into the lunar surface A telescope in Chile has captured evidence of the impact caused by part of a SpaceX rocket slamming into the moon while travelling at 8,690km/h (5,400mph).
The European Southern Observatoryâs (ESO) Very Large Telescope observed âspectral linesâ â a colourful illustration of the sodium and lithium gas â in the plume of lunar dust stirred up by the impact.
The BriefWire