[jmacusa]

The last time something impacted the Moon was some time in the tenth century and was witnessed by some monks in Italy I believe. The Moon was formed after the Earth was impacted by a Mars size ‘’rouge’’ planet that gouged out massive amounts of material and this material coalesced to form the moon. The impact was not powerful enough for the ejecta to break free of Earths gravity. In it's beginning stage it went through a ‘’bombardment’’ period as did Earth for millions of years until it stopped. Jupiter is our protector but it can't catch everything that might come our way. 7,OOO years of recorded history huh? The Neanderthals left a history of who they were and how they saw their world and in their cave paintings and that was some 35-4O,OOO years ago. “Reaching beyond my grasp’’? Hardly. I'm not Carl Sagan but astronomy is a hobby of mine. Don't be some rude friend. Why not look up the science yourself?

[Pontiac]

Five monks from Canterbury reported to the abbey's chronicler, Gervase, that shortly after sunset on June 18, 1178, (25 June on the proleptic Gregorian calendar) they saw "the upper horn [of the moon] split in two". Furthermore, Gervase writes:

From the midpoint of the division a flaming torch sprang up, spewing out, over a considerable distance, fire, hot coals and sparks. Meanwhile the body of the Moon which was below writhed, as it were in anxiety, and to put it in the words of those who reported it to me and saw it with their own eyes, the Moon throbbed like a wounded snake. Afterwards it resumed its proper state. This phenomenon was repeated a dozen times or more, the flame assuming various twisting shapes at random and then returning to normal. Then, after these transformations, the Moon from horn to horn, that is along its whole length, took on a blackish appearance.

Interesting.

I certainly did not intend to offend. Thanks for the tip on some astronomical history.

I did find your suggestion that all of the cratering of the moon was done in its early days (before man) a bit off putting. This bit of history certainly would suggest that it is not entirely true.

Oh and I guess I should have said “written history” instead of recorded history.

Although Neanderthal cave paintings do some convey information as to their view of their world I would not consider cave paintings a ‘record’ because no specific event can be discerned from the painting. You may say that here there was a bison hunt but you can not discern which bison hunt or who was leading the hunt or where that hunt occurred.

For me to consider something a historical record it needs at least who did what where and when.