Interesting Facts You Didn't Know about The Moon

The third planet in the solar system has only one satellite and we call it the Moon! The moon has formed an integral part of ancient scriptures and is fondly associated by many civilizations with numerous godly beings. The moon is a gravity rounded celestial body that orbits the Earth, and is the second-densest satellite in the solar system, after Jupiter's satellite Io. Let us have a look at some of the mind-boggling and surprising facts on the moon:

Largest Planetary Satellite? 😲

The Moon is the fifth-largest natural satellite in the Solar System and is the largest among planetary satellites relative to the size of the planet that it orbits.

The Moon is in synchronous rotation with Earth 🌎 

Its near side is marked by large dark plains (volcanic ‘maria’) that cover the space in between the bright ancient crustal highlands and the prominent impact craters due to the numerous comets and meteors that have left their impressions on the lunar surface. This means that we only see one side of the lunar surface.

Showing its true colors 🌝

Although the lunar surface appears bright in the night sky, it has a reflectance that is marginally higher than that of worn asphalt.

How are tides formed? 🌊

The gravitational pull of the moon causes a cycle of high and low tides on the earth. The sun too impacts the formation of tides on Earth, however, the influence of moon's gravity is almost twice as strong as the Sun's.

How was the moon created? 🌑💥🌎

The most widely-accepted explanation is that the Moon was created when Mars-sized rock slammed into Earth, leading to an explosive event, shortly after the solar system began forming about 4.5 billion years ago. 

The Moon is drifting away 😰

The moon is slowly drifting away from the Earth at a pace of about 3.8cm every year.

Is there water on the Moon?🛀

Scientists have found clues of water on the moon in the form of ice. It is believed that the ice was deposited on the lunar surface through comets that bombarded into our satellite.

The First Moon Landing🚀

Apollo 11 was the space ship that carried Neil Armstrong, the first man to step on the moon, along with his crew of two more. There was another Apollo mission that came close to landing humans on the moon and that was Apollo 13. Apollo 13 mission had to be aborted when there were very close to landing due to an explosion of oxygen tanks.

The Moon is 400 times smaller than the Sun, but also 400 times closer to Earth.

We know that the moon is about 4.6 billion years old, or about the same age as Earth, by calculating the age of the lunar rocks.

The Earth also goes through different phases, if seen from the moon

When its new moon for us, it's a Full-Earth for the one's seeing us from the moon

There are Moonquakes on the Moon just the way we have Earthquakes!

                                                                                               [Source: Nasa.gov]

These moonquakes are caused by the gravitational force of the Earth. Moonquakes are of 4 types: 

1. Deep Moonquakes

2. Vibrations caused by the meteorites 

3. Thermal quakes

4. Shallow moonquakes

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