3,900-kg SpaceX rocket to smash into the Moon on August 5: When and where to watch the rare impact from the US and Canada, why astronomers are tracking it and what happens next

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage is expected to slam into the Moon on Wednesday, August 5, giving astronomers across parts of the US and Canada a rare chance to try to capture an artificial impact on the lunar surface. The discarded rocket stage is expected to hit the Moon at about 6:35 a.m. UTC (2:35 a.m. EDT) near the lunar limb, potentially producing a brief flash and a much longer plume of dust and debris, according to CBC News.

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The event is attracting attention because the SpaceX rocket will hit the Moon's sunlit side, meaning observatories may have an opportunity to observe what happens when the roughly 3,900-kilogram upper stage collides with the lunar surface at about 2.43 kilometres per second.

When will the SpaceX rocket hit the Moon?

The predicted SpaceX Moon impact time is around 2:34 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, or approximately 6:34–6:35 a.m. UTC. The precise timing has been refined as astronomers have continued tracking the rocket's orbit. The scientific paper on the event puts the impact at approximately 06:35 UTC on August 5.

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For viewers in the US, that means the event will happen during the overnight hours:

• Eastern Time: around 2:35 a.m. EDT
• Central Time: around 1:35 a.m. CDT
• Mountain Time: around 12:35 a.m. MDT
• Pacific Time: around 11:35 p.m. PDT on August 4

Where can you watch the SpaceX rocket hit the Moon?

The best viewing opportunities are expected across central and eastern parts of the US and Canada, where the Moon should be above the horizon around the predicted impact time.

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Parts of the Caribbean and South America could also have favorable viewing conditions. Scientists and astronomers are encouraging professional observatories and experienced amateur astronomers to attempt observations.

The impact will occur close to the lunar limb, near the Einstein crater region. The collision will take place on sunlit terrain, which makes observing the resulting plume potentially possible from Earth.

SpaceX rocket is about to smash into the Moon: US timing

People in the eastern and central US have the strongest opportunity to attempt observations because the Moon will be positioned above the horizon around the impact.

However, this is not expected to be a naked-eye event. A telescope and suitable imaging equipment will be needed, particularly if observers hope to catch the brief impact flash.

Canada viewing

Observers in central and eastern Canada are also expected to have favorable conditions.

Astronomers have specifically encouraged observers in these areas to attempt to record the event, although seeing the impact will depend on local weather, telescope capabilities and the exact brightness of the flash or plume.

What will the SpaceX Moon impact look like?

The biggest question is whether telescopes will capture a flash, a plume or both. The impact is expected to throw lunar rock and dust upward from the surface. Researchers estimate that the collision could produce a substantial debris plume that may remain observable for several minutes. A recent modeling study suggests the ejecta could reach significant heights above the lunar surface.

The actual impact flash will be much harder to capture.

Astronomer Ben Fernando explained that the flash could be extremely brief because the collision is taking place on the Moon's illuminated side.

“There are two things that [you] can try and observe, either the plume or the flash. The truth is, I think the flash is going to be tough because it's on the lit side of the moon and it's very short-lived,” Fernando said.

He added: “But that doesn't mean people shouldn't try.”

How to watch the SpaceX rocket crash into the Moon

Anyone attempting to observe the SpaceX Moon impact should use a telescope equipped for high-speed imaging rather than simply looking at the Moon through binoculars.

Fernando advised amateur astronomers to take images extremely rapidly in an attempt to capture the fleeting flash.

“You need to be taking an image every tenth, hundredth of a second, something like that, to try and catch this brief flash,” he said.

The dust plume may provide a more realistic target because it is expected to last considerably longer.

“If you're trying to catch the plumes, that's probably quite a bit easier because we expect the plume to last [in] the order of one to 10 minutes, something like that.”

What SpaceX rocket is hitting the Moon?

The object is the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched in January 2025. The Falcon 9 carried two commercial lunar landers toward the Moon: Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost-1 and Japanese company ispace's Hakuto-R Resilience.

After completing its role in the mission, the rocket stage continued on its trajectory. Independent astronomer Bill Gray, who tracks objects in space and develops astronomical tracking software, had been monitoring the rocket since its launch.

Gray initially identified what appeared to be a close lunar encounter. After refining the orbital calculations and accounting for the gravitational influence of the Sun, he determined that the rocket was not merely going to pass near the Moon. It was on course for a collision.

Why is the SpaceX rocket hitting the Moon?

The SpaceX rocket Moon crash is not an intentional lunar experiment.

The upper stage was left in space after delivering the two lunar spacecraft, and its trajectory has now brought it onto a collision course with the Moon.

Human-made objects have hit the lunar surface before. The Apollo missions deliberately sent upper stages crashing into the Moon, while spacecraft such as NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite and ESA's SMART-1 also ended their missions through lunar impacts.

The upcoming event is different because astronomers have the opportunity to track an artificial object before it makes an unplanned impact and then observe the consequences.

Why are scientists interested in the Moon crash?

The August 5 SpaceX Moon impact is more than an unusual skywatching opportunity.

Scientists want to understand what artificial impacts could mean as humanity prepares for a much larger presence around and on the Moon.

As more astronauts, spacecraft and lunar habitats are sent to the Moon, researchers need to better understand the risks posed by human-made objects traveling through lunar space.

Fernando said the event could help researchers study hazards that future lunar missions may encounter.

The concern isn't necessarily that an astronaut will be directly struck by a rocket stage. Instead, scientists are also interested in indirect dangers, including debris and dust thrown into the lunar environment

Will you be able to see the SpaceX Moon impact?

The answer is yes but don't expect to see the rocket crash with your naked eyes.

The impact flash is expected to be difficult to detect because it will be brief and occur against the Moon's bright, sunlit surface. The debris plume could be easier to capture, particularly for observers using powerful telescopes and high-speed cameras.