The LCROSS ( Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) project was developed in 2006, aimed at discovering if water and ice are present in the moons crust. Today Friday October 9th there are two reported impacts, making the mission a success. One of the goals cited in the press release from NASA was to gather photos and video from amatuer astromomers from around the world. This has also been deemed a success. Data from the impact is being analyzed. So far we haven't found much in the way of photos and videos from amatuers, and ironically many are referring to this as a "moon bombing".

From the NASA Press Release:
Other observatories reported capturing both impacts. The data will be shared with the LCROSS science team for analysis. The LCROSS team expects it to take several weeks of analysis before it can make a definitive assessment of the presence or absence of water ice.

"I am very proud of the success of this LCROSS mission team," said Daniel Andrews, LCROSS project manager at Ames. "Whenever this team would hit a roadblock, it conceived a clever work-around allowing us to push forward with a successful mission."

The images and video collected by the amateur astronomer community and the public also will be used to enhance our knowledge about the moon.

"One of the early goals of the mission was to get as many people to look at the LCROSS impacts in as many ways possible, and we succeeded," said Jennifer Heldmann, Ames' coordinator of the LCROSS observation campaign. "The amount of corroborated information that can be pulled out of this one event is fascinating."

"It has been an incredible journey since LCROSS was selected in April 2006," said Andrews. "The LCROSS Project faced a very ambitious schedule and an uncommonly small budget for a mission of this size. LCROSS could be a model for how small robotic missions are executed. This is truly big science on a small budget."

Video of Centaur Separation
http://www.nasa.gov/mov/392770main_mir1-zoomed-uncompressed-21fps.mov

Impact Simulation
http://www.nasa.gov/mov/392327main_ARC-LCROSS-SimulatedImpact.mov

Flickr Images
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ukiahbikeman/3994808569/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/labgrab/favorites/

Photo Slideshow from BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8299118.stm