The Moon
The Moon is the only natural satellite of Earth, and the fifth largest of the more than 200 moons orbiting planets in our solar system. It is also the only celestial body that humans have visited so far, with 24 astronauts landing on its surface between 1969 and 1972. The Moon is about a quarter of the size of Earth, and orbits at an average distance of 384,400 kilometers (238,900 miles). It takes about 27 days for the Moon to complete one orbit around Earth, and about the same time to rotate on its axis. This means that the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, a phenomenon called tidal locking.
The Moon has a thin atmosphere, which makes it vulnerable to impacts from asteroids and comets. The surface of the Moon is covered with craters, mountains, valleys, and plains. The dark areas on the Moon are called maria (Latin for seas), which are ancient volcanic plains that were filled with lava billions of years ago. The bright areas are called terrae (Latin for lands), which are highlands composed of older rocks. The Moon also has a core, a mantle, and a crust, similar to Earth, but much smaller and less active.
The Moon plays an important role in Earth's climate and tides. The gravitational pull of the Moon causes the oceans to bulge along the line connecting Earth and the Moon, creating high and low tides. The Moon also stabilizes Earth's axial tilt, which affects the seasons and climate. The Moon is also responsible for eclipses, when it passes between Earth and the Sun (solar eclipse), or when Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun (lunar eclipse).
The Moon has been explored by various spacecrafts since the 1950s, including orbiters, landers, rovers, and sample return missions. Some of the most famous missions are Apollo (USA), Luna (USSR), Chang'e (China), Kaguya (Japan), Chandrayaan (India), and Artemis (USA). These missions have provided valuable scientific data and stunning images of the lunar landscape. The Moon is also a potential destination for future human exploration and colonization, as it offers resources such as water ice, minerals, and solar energy.
References
- Overview | Earth's Moon – NASA Solar System Exploration
- Home – Moon: NASA Science
- Google Moon
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