For centuries, people have noticed strange flashes of light on the Moon. These observations date back to at least the sixth century. Many historical accounts, including one from the medieval chronicler Gervase of Canterbury, describe bright flashes that seemed to erupt from the lunar surface.
In June 1178, Gervase wrote about a bright Moon splitting, with flames shooting out. His vivid description highlighted that this wasn’t just a single occurrence. Observations of these “transient lunar phenomena” (TLP) have continued through the ages. Legendary broadcaster Patrick Moore witnessed one in 1939 and coined the term TLP to describe these events.
Despite a long history of reports, scientists took a while to acknowledge the reality of these phenomena. A comprehensive paper reviewed 2,254 observations of TLP over nearly a thousand years. It found that 645 of these have been confirmed through photography and other data. Notably, 448 could not be explained by earthly conditions, suggesting a genuine lunar cause.
Between 2017 and 2023, the European Space Agency’s NELIOTA project aimed to measure these phenomena. It discovered that an average of eight flashes occur every hour on the Moon’s surface. This significant finding brought renewed interest in studying TLPs.
While various theories have been proposed, the leading explanation today revolves around meteorite impacts. The Moon, lacking an atmosphere, is bombarded constantly, which could generate these flashes. In the past, some scientists suggested that releases of radon gas might be linked to the phenomena, as indicated by Columbia University professor Arlin Crotts. However, the majority lean towards impacts as the primary cause.
In 1994, NASA’s Clementine mission captured four TLP events but found no corresponding changes on the Moon’s surface later, indicating that our knowledge of these phenomena is still developing.
Recent discussions surrounding TLPs have sparked interest on social media, with people sharing their thoughts and experiences related to lunar observation. As technology improves and more observations are made, we might finally uncover the secrets behind these mysterious flashes on the Moon.
For more details and ongoing research, check out the ESA’s findings here.
