Astronomers have recently witnessed a first-of-its-kind lunar collision in space. A new crater has been created on the moon’s surface by the impact due to a collision with an out-of-control piece of a spaceship rocket. Now the astronomers are deeply worried about the problem getting worse next time.

The Collision

According to the astronomers, the collision happened on March 4 around 7:25 am ET, when a discarded rocket part crashed into the far side of the moon. Due to the impact of the collision, the rogue rocket part was obliterated and the lunar orbiters didn’t see it come down. Astronomers observed the rocket being smashed into the far side of the Hertzsprung Crater, launching a cloud of sharp and corrosive dust into orbit.

The Assumption

Astronomers believe that the rogue rocket part came from Chang’e 5-T1 mission rocket, launched from China in 2014. But the experts and researchers are not completely certain about this speculation. Fortunately, the junk part didn’t damage anything else other than the surface of the moon, as the astronomers assured. According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who hails from the Harvard-Smithsonian Institute for Astrophysics, the collision is not a big deal as of now. Since there are only a couple dozen robots and no humans on the moon currently, the impact of the clash is fortunately not very harmful.

The Point of Concern

Then why are astronomers and space scientists worried about the collision? It’s because the interest in lunar exploration is escalating once again. Many countries are fixing their sights on launching research facilities either in the lunar orbit or on the lunar surface. Private companies are also joining the fleet. Also, a few nations are looking to kick start human lunar expeditions in the near future. Simply put, if astronomers and space scientists don’t do their jobs responsibly, the next collision can be gravely damaging, unlike this one!

On February 7, a flash flood in India’s Himalayan Uttarakhand state killed at least 30 people, and many more are still missing. The disaster washed away two hydroelectric power stations, and scientists are still trying to understand the cause of the flood. Was it a glacier or a landslide, or something else entirely? These are some of the theories:

1. Some Believe a Break of a Glacier Caused the Flood

The initial reports following the disaster suggested that the floodwaters were the result of a sudden overflow of a glacier breaking up in the mountains, causing a lake outburst. Researchers say it’s still too early to determine the cause of the flood, but a glacier break seems in line with previously known hazards in the region.

2. Others Claim a Landslide Was to Blame

Daniel Shugar, a geomorphologist at the University of Calgary in Canada, disagrees with the glacier lake outburst theory and argues that the root of the flood could have been a landslide instead. Satellite images taken during the disaster reportedly show signs of a landslide being activated, such as a dark area of massive dust deposition. According to Shugar, the damage of a landslide is similar to the damage of the disaster in India, and that the effect can be triggered by a number of factors running from rain to an earthquake.

3. Could It Be the Result of a Climate Change?

Researchers agree that the flood was a “climate event” and that the risk of glacial lake outbursts and landslides has increased in this high-mountain region as a result of climate change. The region that covers the Tibetan Plateau and the Hindu Kush Himalayan mountains is also known as “Earth’s third pole” because it contains the largest freshwater reserves outside the polar regions. With the rise of climate change and so much water in one place, it makes sense that these types of hazards can occur more often.

The definitive reason for India’s flood, however, is yet to be determined.