Astronomer Captures Rare Back-to-Back Lunar Impacts Amid Taurid Meteor Shower

On October 30 and November 1, 2025, Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii spotted two mysterious flashes on the moon's surface, sparking a debate over what struck our nearest celestial neighbor. Fujii, who has been observing the moon for over 15 years, captured the first bright flash on October 30, followed by a second one two days later near the lunar horizon.

The prevailing theory is that these flashes were caused by high-velocity impacts from space rocks during the annual Taurid meteor shower. This shower, which peaks in late October and early November, is created as Earth passes through the debris trail of the comet Encke. While the Taurid meteors typically burn up harmlessly in Earth's atmosphere, the lack of an atmosphere on the moon means any impacts are visible as bright flashes.

Fujii noted that he typically spots around one lunar impact flash every few dozen hours of observation, making the back-to-back events a rare occurrence. The first flash appeared to land just east of the Gassendi Crater, while the second was likely west of the Oceanus Procellarum. Experts estimate the impacting space rocks were traveling at close to 60,000 mph.

However, new research has warned that the Taurid meteor shower could become more of a danger to humans within the next decade. A study has found that the risk will spike around 2032 and 2036 when a swarm of larger, undetected chunks of space rock may get clumped together by Jupiter's gravity. These more dangerous meteor fragments could pass over populated areas, causing hazardous air bursts or even reaching the ground, potentially causing significant damage.