Moon observations: nasa's planned explosion

QuestionEdit

NASA is planning to drop a bomb on the moon on October 9th 2009 to try and detect water in the resulting plum of dust. It will happen near the moon's South pole, at a pre-chosen spot.

More details on: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/index.html

My question is, will I be able to see this explosion and the 3 km sized plum of dust using my Dobsonian 10 inch back yard telescope?

More specifically, from where on Earth would it be visible?

Thanks!!!

AnswerEdit

Hello,

It actually isn't a literal "bomb" being dropped but rather an impact created from a craft- device, from what I can gather.

Anyway, given the impact time is around 4.30 a.m. Pacific Daylight time, and Israel would be more like 2.30 p.m. local time, it is doubtful you could see anything - given you'd be in full daylight at time of impact.

It probably makes more sense for you to tune in to NASA-TV to catch the live telecast, and I believe there is a link to it online, if you can't get it via cable -tv.

From what I can gather, the best places to directly view the event will be those *west of the Missiissippi River* - which is probably from around longitude 95 deg west to around 150 W.