The Moon might be damaged by space junk (Credit: AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

A three-tonne rocket part is expected to hit the moon at 12:25 today, with minor damages to the moon expected.

It is currently hurtling through space at 5,800mph, and scientists are planning on studying the crater it leaves behind which is expected to be 10-20m-wide.  

The space junk was first spotted from Earth in 2015, but there was little interest once the possibility of it being an asteroid was dismissed. In January of this year, Peter Birtwhistle, 63,  noticed its path was headed towards the moon. The European Space Agency estimates there are now 36,500 pieces of space junk larger than 10cm.  

We won’t have confirmation that the asteroid has hit the moon for days or weeks. Two satellites stationed around the moon will photograph the crater left on impact.