Apod 1.7 LCROSS Centaur Impact Flash

This is an image taken by the LCROSS spacecraft that followed the Centaur projectile to the moon. The image captures the plume of lunar surface that was sent skyward by the upper stage of the Centaur rocket. The LCROSS spacecraft followed the Centaur rocket into the surface of the moon. The Centaur spacecraft was used to cause debris to fly into the air, and the LCROSS spacecraft was used to fly through these debris and analyze them before crashing into the surface itself. Before hitting the surface of the moon itself, the LCROSS was able to capture details of the impact of the Centaur projectile crashing into the surface of the moon and the resulting crater and debris cloud. The data collected by the LCROSS spacecraft will be analyzed for evidence of water on the moon.