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In geophysical terms, the Moon is a planetary-mass object or satellite planet. Its mass is 1.2% that of the Earth, and its diameter is 3,474 km (2,159 mi), roughly one-quarter of Earth's (about as wide as the United States from coast to coast).
Nov 8, 2024 · Quick Facts: Earth has just one moon – a rocky, cratered place, roughly a quarter the size of Earth and an average of 238,855 miles away. The Moon can be seen with the naked eye most nights as it traces its 27-day orbit around our planet. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It goes around the Earth at a distance of about 239,000 miles (385,000 kilometers). The Earth and Moon are tidally locked. Their rotations are so in sync we only see one side of the Moon. Humans didn't see the lunar far side until a Soviet spacecraft flew past in 1959.
Overview. The Moon makes Earth more livable by moderating our home planet's wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. It also causes tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years. The Moon rotates exactly once each time it orbits our planet.
3 days ago · Moon, Earth’s sole natural satellite and nearest celestial body. Known since prehistoric times, it is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun.
The Moon is a rocky and dusty place. It moves slowly away from the Earth at a rate of 3.8 cm per year, due to the effect of tidal dissipation. For the origin of the Moon, see the giant impact hypothesis. Phases. Because the Moon is round, half of it is lit up by the Sun.
Sep 7, 2023 · The Moon is Earth’s only permanent natural satellite, and it’s the fifth-largest satellite in our solar system. The Moon’s diameter is approximately 2,160 miles (3,475 kilometers), or...
Jul 28, 2021 · The Moon is farther away from Earth than people often think. A good ballpark number to remember is that the Moon is about a quarter of a million miles away (that is, 250,000 miles), or about 400 thousand kilometers.
Jul 16, 2004 · What is the moon made of, and how did it form? Learn about the moon's violent origins, how its phases shaped the earliest calendars, and how humans first explored Earth's only natural...
Moon. The moon that we see almost every night is a natural satellite of the Earth. This means that the moon revolves around the earth on a regular path. The gravitational attraction between the earth and the natural satellite holds it in its orbit even as the moon revolves around the earth.
