The Moon | ||
The Moon Full and New Moon's in 2006 Full Moon Names Top 10 Luna Names Moon Phases |
INTRODUCTION
The moon is the only natural satellite of Earth.
The natural satellites of the other planets in the solar system are also sometimes referred to as moons.
The diameter of the earth�s moon is about 3480 km (about 2160 mi), or about one-fourth that of the earth, and the moon�s volume is about one-fiftieth that of the earth. The mass of the earth is 81 times greater than the mass of the moon. Thus the average density of the moon is only three-fifths, and the pull of gravity at the lunar surface only one-sixth, that of the earth.
SURFACE OF THE MOON
Ancient observers of the moon believed that the dark regions on its face were oceans, giving rise to the name mare (Latin for "sea"), which is still used today; the brighter regions were likewise held to be continents. Modern observation and exploration of the moon has yielded far more comprehensive and specific knowledge. Since the Renaissance, telescopes have revealed a wealth of lunar detail, and lunar spacecraft have contributed further to this knowledge. Features discernible on the surface of the moon include craters, mountain ranges, plains or maria, faults, domes, rilles, and rays. The largest distinct crater, called Bailly, is 295 km (183 mi) wide and 3960 m (13,000 ft) deep. The largest mare or sea is Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains), about 1200 km (about 750 mi) wide. The highest mountains, in the Leibnitz and Doerfel ranges near the south pole of the moon, have peaks up to 6100 m (20,000 ft) in height, comparable to the Himalayas on earth. Craters as small as 1.6 km (1 mi) across have been defined in telescopic observations. The origin of lunar craters has been long debated. The latest evidence indicates that nearly all craters were formed by explosive impacts of high-velocity meteorites or small asteroids, mostly during the early part of lunar history, when the solar system still contained many such fragments. Some craters, rilles, and domes, however, display characteristics of indisputable volcanic origin. |
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Last Updated 12-07-05