(meteorobs) Re: An Explosion on the Moon

drobnock drobnock at penn.com
Sat Dec 24 21:33:15 EST 2005


<< Wasn't there an Irish monk
claiming to see something strike the moon during the middle ages? It
was a dragon or an angel falling?
>>

The question about the Giordano Bruno Observation was reopened in 2001
during the Leonid Shower. See the attached.

My only  reason for making the comment about a monk, fallen angels and
dragons was to underline the wide interpretations of meteor related
observations,  whether they be from professional,  academic, or amateur
observers. And depending on the observer,  this leads to accepted
interpretations  or disclaiming of an event as not relevant to  add new
observational information. I do thank Mr. Young for his sharing his
information on a possible mirage effect..

George John Drobnock

That was probably a meteorological optical phenomenon,
a mirage effect at the "zone of avoidance", similar to the dark
band seen at the Sun near sunset. There have been several
published accounts of this very similar to the Gervase of
Canterbury report.

The Giordano Bruno idea was published in the "News Notes" section
of the October 1984, Sky & Telescope, page 313. I sent the following
letter proposing a meteorological optical explanation. It was published
in the Letters section of the April 1985 Sky & Telescope, page 292:


http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast26apr_1.htm




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