The Moon

The moon is our only natural satellite and is located about 238,000 miles from earth.

The temperature varies from 260 degrees F to –280 degrees F.

It is the second brightest object in the sky after the sun.

The moon is fairly small in relation to other bodies in the solar system.

The earth is more than 4 times larger than it is and has 6 times the gravity.

The moon is considered “dead” because it has no activity in its core and contains no living organisms or fossils.

The moon’s surface is covered with mountains, craters, and valleys.

The primary types of terrain on the moon are cratered maria and smooth highlands.

maria highlands

The biggest crater is 1,400 miles across and over 7 miles deep (or almost 7 times deeper than Grand Canyon).

That’s about as wide as the distance from Tucson to Indiana.

There are over 3 TRILLION craters on the surface of the moon

The moon has no atmosphere to allow life to exist on its surface although there have been signs of water on the surface.

This weak gravity is not strong enough to hold onto air near its surface.

Earth, on the other hand, has a strong gravitational field and can keep its atmosphere continual1y in orbit around itself.

Earth’s stronger gravity also keeps the moon in orbit around it.

The pull is a little greater if they are on the Moon's side, and slightly lesser if they are on the side away from the Moon.

The moon does not have a strong enough gravity to hold onto an atmosphere, although trace amount of sodium and potassium gases have been found.

Main Theories on Origin of the Moon

The moon and the earth formed at the same time as the result of a star explosion.

The moon split off from the earth.

The moon formed elsewhere and was captured in earth’s gravity.

Currently accepted theory: a very large object (as large as Mars) collided with the earth and the moon formed from the ejected material.

The most observable effect of the moon’s influence on the earth is the creation of tides in the oceans.

The moon’s gravity creates the tides on earth.

The tides go in twice a day and out twice a day.

When the moon is directly in line with the earth and the sun (twice a day), the tides go out and leave the shores exposed.

When the moon passes out of line with the earth and the sun (also twice a day), the tides return and reflood the beaches.

From earth,we can only see 50% of the moon’s surface at any one time.

The backside of the moon had never been seen until Russian and American space satellites orbited the moon.

Half of the moon is always in sunlight just as half the earth has day while the other half has night.

On earth this is called night and day.

The moon orbits the earth in roughly 29 days.

During a month, the moon’s surface takes on several different appearances called phases.

As the moon orbits the earth, the angle between the sun, earth and the moon changes causing the moon phases.

During the 29.5 days of a month, the moon passes from new moon to full moon and then back to new moon.

There are 8 phases or different appearances to the moon each month. Moon phases There are 8 phases or different appearances to the moon each month.

moon phases full moon new moon gibbous crescent 3rd quarter 1st quarter gibbous then back to new moon

crescent moons show only a small sliver of light

gibbous moons are when the moon’s visible surface is more than half illuminated.

As the moon moves from full to new (or appears to get smaller), it is said to be waning.

F U L L M O O N

G I B B O U S M O O N

T H I R D Q U A R T E R

C R E S C E N T M O O N

N E W M O O N

As the moon moves from new to full (or appears to be growing), it is said to be waxing.

N E W M O O N

C R E S C E N T M O O N

F I R S T Q U A R T E R

G I B B O U S M O O N

F U L L M O O N

FYI Everyone sees the same phases of the moon,, but people south of the Equator who face north to view the moon, will see it upside down so the reverse side is lighted.

FYI If you stood on the moon and faced the earth, you could see Earth wax and wane – just as the moon does as seen from our world. In other words, you could see a full earth or a crescent earth.

Notice they are opposite each other Notice they are opposite each other. When the moon is a crescent, the earth viewed from the moon would be seen as a gibbous..

In the course of a month, the moon will complete one cycle and go from new moon to new moon.

There is no “dark side of the moon” There is no “dark side of the moon”. Both sides of the moon get sunlight. The far side is not always dark, it just never faces us, so we never get to see it when it is lighted. FYI

Two Types of Eclipses solar lunar

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon directly lines up between the sun and the earth. This briefly blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the earth.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth is directly between the sun and the moon. The earth blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the moon.

Lunar eclipses last about 2 HOURS Lunar eclipses last about 2 HOURS. Solar eclipses last only about 3 MINUTES.

The earth takes 24 hours to spin on its axis.

Half the earth is in sunlight and experiencing daytime, while the other half is in darkness and experiencing nighttime.

The earth takes 365 days to completely revolve around the sun.

This allows each side of the earth to be tilted directly at the sun one time.

Summer tilted directly toward the sun

winter tilted directly away from the sun

North and South America always experience directly opposite seasons during the course of a year.

So, what makes a moon, a moon?