The Night the Moon 'Exploded'

On June 18, 1178, a group of five monks in Canterbury, England, witnessed what they likely believed was the literal end of the world. According to the chronicler Gervase of Canterbury, the monks reported that the upper horn of a new moon 'split in two' and began spewing fire, hot coals, and sparks like a giant cosmic firework. They even described the moon 'thumping' like a wounded snake! While the poor brothers were probably busy repenting for every extra loaf of bread they'd sneaked from the kitchen, modern astronomers believe they were actually the only people to ever witness a massive meteor striking the lunar surface, specifically the impact that created the 22-kilometer-wide Giordano Bruno crater. It is the ultimate historical case of 'right place, terrifying time'—witnessing a spectacular space collision while just trying to get through evening prayers! Imagine trying to explain that one to your medieval Abbot without sounding like you had been hitting the sacramental cider.