NASA’sLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter(LRO ) is a marvelous spacecraft that take recherche in high spirits - resolution images of the Moon . So it was a surprisal when it produced a weird wavelike ikon back in October 2014 . Now stargazer think they make out what caused   it : The image was snapped as the probe was hit by a tiny meteor .

The LRO Camera ( LROC ) team analyzed the mental image and used a calculator feigning to work out how it could have formed . The algorithm suggested that the impacting meteor was 0.8 millimeters , about half the size of a pin top dog with the density of aluminum . But do n’t let the flyspeck size put one across you . It was strike at 7 kilometers ( 4.3 miles ) per secondly , so it ’s favorable it did n’t do any damage .

“ The meteoroid was traveling much faster than a speeding bullet . In this casing , LROC did not dodge a cannonball along bullet , but rather survived a speeding slug , ” LROC principal police detective Professor Mark Robinson from Arizona State University said in astatement . “ LROC was struck and survived to keep explore the Moon thanks to Malin Space Science Systems ’ robust photographic camera designing . ”

The LROC is a organisation made of three cameras . A wide - slant moderate - settlement color camera and two narrow-minded - angle cameras ( NACs ) that get high-pitched - resolution opprobrious and white image . Out of the three instruments , only the left NAC was hit by the meteoroid .

The team knew this because of how the ikon are taken . They are not snapped like a normal camera , rather , the NAC images are compose line by line , to account for the changes in position as the spacecraft orb the Moon .

The team is sure that this was n’t a investigation - wide-cut accident , or there was a problem with the craft as neither the solar panels nor the feeler were shaken by anything when the picture was need .

“ Even if there had been [ a problem ] , the resulting jitter would have affected both camera identically , ” Robinson say . “ The only coherent explanation is that the NAC was arrive at by a meteoroid . ”

Launched in June 2008 , the LRO has released incredible image of our rude satellite , including a681 Gigapixel mapof the Moon ’s North Pole . It has a rooms of seven unlike instruments and has play a vital purpose in our understanding of the Moon , so it ’s a good thing that it was n’t damaged for good .

“ A meteoroid shock on the LROC NAC reminds us that LRO is perpetually exposed to the hazards of space , ” impart Noah Petro , deputy project scientist at NASA Goddard . “ And as we continue to research the Moon , it reminds us of how precious are the data that is being returned . ”