Scientists think the Moon was born in a crash. About 4.5 billion years ago a world the size of Mars hit the young Earth, and the debris came together into the Moon.
It always shows us the same face. It does spin, but exactly once every trip around us, so the far side stays hidden from Earth.
The dark patches you can see without a telescope are old lava, which flooded giant craters billions of years ago.
Twelve people walked on it between 1969 and 1972. With no wind or rain, their footprints should still be there.
The Moon is drifting away from us, about 4 cm a year. That's roughly how fast your fingernails grow.
If you stood here
You'd weigh a sixth of what you do on Earth, and could jump six times as high. The sky is black even at noon, and Earth hangs in it without ever rising or setting.
- Width
- 3,475 km
- Goes round Earth
- every 27 days
- One day
- The same: it always shows Earth one face
- Temperature
- −173 °C at night · 127 °C by day
- 70 kg on Earth weighs
- 12 kg here
