Our neighbor the moon
Chapter 1
The violent birth of our Moon
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Chapter 2
The gravity dance of tides and phases
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Chapter 3
The Moon in human history and culture
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Chapter 4
Footprints in the lunar dust
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YOUR GOAL
Master of Our neighbor the moon
Ch 1 · The violent birth of our Moon
gus Moon's Violent Birth
Giant Impact! Giant Impact! Created our Moon, out of fire and space!
Quiz
What geological process created the large, dark patches on the Moon's surface known as 'maria'?
Fun Fact
Moon dust scent: Apollo astronauts reported that lunar dust smells surprisingly like spent gunpowder after it clings to spacesuits.
Glossary
giant impact hypothesis (noun)
The theory that our Moon formed from debris left after a Mars-sized planet collided with early Earth. It's the ultimate cosmic car crash.
The theory that our Moon formed from debris left after a Mars-sized planet collided with early Earth. It's the ultimate cosmic car crash.
Quiz
What is the name of the ancient, Mars-sized protoplanet that scientists believe collided with Earth to form the Moon?
Quiz
Which of these elements is surprisingly rare in the Moon's core compared to Earth's core?