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Flash and background spectrum
Strips under the chart, from top: atmosphere (dark grey = opaque, light grey = partial absorption; Earth observer only), camera sensor ranges, photometric bands B–N. The yellow shading marks the selected band.
| Band | Sensor | Flash in-band flux (W m⁻²) | Background in-band flux (W m⁻²) | Contrast C = S/B | SNR (one frame) | Peak magnitude | Detectable? (SNR ≥ 5) |
|---|
Recommendation
Why the sunlit Moon hides flashes
Thermal afterglow
Melt and ejecta temperature
Earth telescope: in-band excess flux and SNR-5 threshold (60 s)
Dashed lines: the in-band flux that would give SNR = 5 in 60 s for the current spectral shape. The thicker line is the selected band.
Lunar orbiter thermal camera (12.5–25 µm channel)
| Time after impact | Melt surface Ts (K) | Earth best band | Earth signal / threshold | Orbiter signal / threshold |
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Caveats
Equations used by the model
Open a card to see the formula, symbols, typical values, assumptions and references. The “For your inputs” line updates live.