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The Moon is Earth 's only natural satellite. It orbits at an average distance of 384,400 km (238,900 mi), about 30 times the diameter of Earth. Tidal forces between Earth and the Moon have over time synchronized the Moon's orbital period ( lunar month) with its rotation period ( lunar day) at 29.5 Earth days, causing the same side of the Moon ...
Jun 13, 2024 · All About the Moon. 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.
Overview. Earth's Moon is the brightest and largest object in our night sky. The Moon makes Earth a more livable planet 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 was likely formed after a Mars-sized ...
The Moon was likely formed after a Mars-sized body collided with Earth several billion years ago. Earth’s only natural satellite is simply called “the Moon” because people didn’t know other moons existed until Galileo Galilei discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610. In Latin, the Moon was called Luna, which is the main adjective for […]
Jun 27, 2024 · 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. Its name in English, like that of Earth, is of Germanic and Old English derivation.
- James D. Burke
Sep 7, 2023 · The Moon’s outer layer is a thin, rocky crust made up of oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, calcium, aluminum, and trace elements like potassium, titanium, and uranium. Beneath the lunar surface ...
The Moon is Earth 's only natural satellite. We usually see it in the night sky and also during the day. Some other planets also have moons or natural satellites. Our moon is about one-fourth of the width of the Earth. [8] Because it is far away it looks small, about half a degree wide. The gravity on the moon is one-sixth of the Earth's ...
