What did the Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii observe?

Daichi Fujii, a curator at the Hiratsuka City Museum in Japan, captured footage of two asteroids slamming into the moon in recent days, creating powerful explosions visible from Earth.

How fast did the asteroids hit the moon?

The asteroids struck the lunar surface at speeds of up to 60,000 miles per hour, about 30 times faster than a fighter jet.

Why are these lunar impact events important for astronomers?

Documenting these lunar collisions helps astronomers better estimate the frequency of asteroid strikes on the Earth, allowing them to refine predictions about the potential threat of larger asteroids.

Home / Science / Astronomer Captures Rare Asteroid Strikes Slamming into the Moon

Astronomer Captures Rare Asteroid Strikes Slamming into the Moon

10 Nov

•

Summary

Japanese astronomer records two lunar impact events in recent days
Asteroids smash into the moon at speeds up to 60,000 mph, creating powerful explosions
Lunar impacts help astronomers estimate frequency of asteroid strikes on Earth

Astronomer Captures Rare Asteroid Strikes Slamming into the Moon

In the past week, a Japanese astronomer has documented two dramatic asteroid strikes on the lunar surface. On November 3rd, 2025, at 8:33 pm local time, Daichi Fujii, a curator at the Hiratsuka City Museum, spotted a brief but bright flash on the moon. Then, just a few days later on November 5th, at 8:49 pm, Fujii captured another luminous outburst on the moon's surface.

These lunar impact events, occurring just before and after Halloween, are a stark reminder that the moon is far from the serene celestial body we often admire in the night sky. Rather, it is a constant battleground, continuously gaining new craters as it is pummeled by a barrage of space rocks.

The two asteroids struck the moon's surface at staggering speeds of up to 60,000 miles per hour - about 30 times faster than a fighter jet. While the exact sizes of the objects are unknown, even a relatively small asteroid a few feet in length traveling at that velocity would unleash a powerful explosion equivalent to a modest stockpile of dynamite. These fleeting lunar impacts can be observed from hundreds of thousands of miles away on Earth.