The Moon has always been a source of inspiration and mystery. We learn fascinating interesting facts about our satellite, our closest cosmic neighbor! From its influence on tides to its role in culture and science
How did the Moon appear?
The Moon was formed about 4.5 billion years ago. One theory of the Moon’s origin suggests that a large celestial body, flying nearby, collided with the Earth. The satellite was formed from the ejected matter. But there is still no clear answer to the question of how the Moon was formed.
Why does the Moon revolve around the Earth?
Strictly speaking, the Moon does not revolve around the Earth. Both bodies revolve around a common center of mass (barycenter). It is located approximately 1,700 km from the Earth’s surface. The Earth in this pair has a larger mass, so it is believed that the Moon revolves around the Earth. If the Moon could be stopped, it would rush towards the Earth at a speed. Then it would collide with it. But in fact, the movement of our satellite depends on many factors. In particular, from the influence of the Sun, which attracts the Moon 2.2 times more strongly than the Earth.
At what distance from the Earth is the Moon?
The orbits of the planets do not follow a circle around the Sun, but an oval trajectory. In this case, there is always a point at which the planet is closest to the Sun (pericenter), and a point at which the planet is farthest from the Sun (apocenter). The same thing happens with the Moon and its orbit around the Earth. The smallest possible distance between the Earth and the Moon is 356,400 km, and the largest is 406,700 km.
Does the Moon affect the Earth?
The influence of the Moon is noticeable at sea, the gravity of our satellite is the cause of tides. Huge masses of water in the World Ocean begin to move under the influence of the gravitational force of the Moon and the Sun. But since the Moon is much closer to the Earth than the Sun, its influence is more noticeable.
What does the Moon do during the day?
The Moon is the Earth’s satellite. It takes a whole month to orbit our planet. The Moon is not a star, it does not emit light. We see it only because it reflects the light of the Sun. Sometimes even during the day, you can see the faint outlines of our satellite in the sky, although it is usually hidden in the bright light of the day. Since people once did not know that the Moon revolves around the Earth, they believed that the Moon rises and sets.
What is a lunar eclipse?
Sometimes the Sun, Moon and Earth line up practically along one line during a full moon and the Earth’s shadow covers the moon, so sunlight does not reach it and it slowly darkens. A lunar eclipse occurs, and then the Moon again leaves the Earth’s shadow and moves further along its orbit.
Interesting facts: What are the phases of the Moon?
When we look at the Moon from Earth, we see that it is constantly changing its shape. Sometimes our satellite looks like a crescent, sometimes it is a full disk. And this is due to the Moon’s journey around the Earth. The cycle begins with a new moon. During this period, the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun. Its back side, which we cannot see, is illuminated. As it moves around the Earth, the side facing the Earth becomes increasingly illuminated – gradually we see more and more of the satellite. And when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, we see a full Moon. It moves further, and we see how the moon gradually decreases until the new moon comes again.
Who was the first person on the Moon?
Neil Alden Armstrong, an American NASA astronaut and US test pilot, became the first person to set foot on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission. The Apollo 11 lunar module landed near the equator, in the southwestern part of the Sea of Tranquility, on July 20, 1969. The landing took place on July 21, 1969.
Holding onto the ladder with his right hand, Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface with his left foot and uttered the words that became famous: That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. 15 minutes after Armstrong left, the second crew member, Edwin Aldrin, descended from the cockpit. The third astronaut, Michael Collins, piloted the command module in lunar orbit. Armstrong and Aldrin spent two and a half hours on the lunar surface. The astronauts planted a US flag at the landing site, placed a set of scientific instruments, and collected 21.55 kg of lunar soil samples, which were returned to Earth.
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