Fire on the Moon

Beyond the Fringe

On a summer evening in 1178, monks in Canterbury, England witnessed a remarkable sight. As they gazed at the moon, fire erupted from the rim sending sparks flying from the slim crescent and turning the lunar surface black. For centuries this mystery remained just that, until in 1976 a planetary astronomer proposed the radical theory that what the monks saw was an asteroid striking the moon and he had the proof to back up his claim. We will be taking a closer look at this incredible sighting, studying all the available evidence and try to figure the origins of the Fire on the Moon.