Transient Lunar Phenomena and Electrostatic Glow Discharges

TRANSIENT lunar phenomena (TLPs) are evanescent localized glows and obscurations on the Moon; Aristarchus, Alphonsus and Schroeter's Valley are well known areas of activity¹. The emitted light is usually described as reddish or pinkish, sometimes with a ``sparkling'' or ``flowing'' appearance^2,3. The coloration may extend for a distance of 10 miles or more on the lunar surface, with brighter spots 2-3 miles across, and is commonly associated with veiling of the surface features. The average duration of an event is some twenty minutes, but it may persist intermittently for a few hours. No permanent alteration has been detected at the site of any TLP. These phenomena are regarded as distinct from the possible low-level general luminescence most easily detected during total lunar eclipse¹.