Back to Glossary

The Moon

The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite—a rocky, cratered body about one‑quarter the diameter of Earth, orbiting at an average distance of approximately 384,400 km. It influences tides, stabilizes Earth’s axial tilt, and was formed about 4.5 billion years ago following a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized object.

Source: science.nasa.gov

APODs including "The Moon"

The Moon During a Total Lunar Eclipse

The Moon During a Total Lunar Eclipse
Video

25/05/2021

M13: The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

M13: The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

20/05/2021

Mercury-Redstone 3 Launch

Mercury-Redstone 3 Launch

07/05/2021

Apollo 11: Earth, Moon, Spaceship

Apollo 11: Earth, Moon, Spaceship

03/05/2021

Pink and the Perigee Moon

Pink and the Perigee Moon

30/04/2021

Apollo 17: The Crescent Earth

Apollo 17: The Crescent Earth

29/04/2021

Moon Rising Between Starships

Moon Rising Between Starships

22/02/2021

Apollo 14 Heads for Home

Apollo 14 Heads for Home

05/02/2021

Apollo 14: A View from Antares

Apollo 14: A View from Antares

04/02/2021

Found on the Moon: Candidate for Oldest Known Earth Rock

Found on the Moon: Candidate for Oldest Known Earth Rock
Video

03/02/2021

Lunar Halo over Snowy Trees

Lunar Halo over Snowy Trees

01/02/2021

North American Nightscape

North American Nightscape

29/01/2021

Moon Phases in 2021

Moon Phases in 2021
Video

11/01/2021

Trail of the Returner

Trail of the Returner

31/12/2020

Earth During a Total Solar Eclipse

Earth During a Total Solar Eclipse
Video

29/12/2020

Conjunction after Sunset

Conjunction after Sunset

19/12/2020

Diamond in the Sky

Diamond in the Sky

18/12/2020

Messier Craters in Stereo

Messier Craters in Stereo

11/12/2020

Arecibo Telescope Collapse

Arecibo Telescope Collapse
Video

09/12/2020

Great Conjunction over Sicilian Lighthouse

Great Conjunction over Sicilian Lighthouse

08/12/2020

Eye of Moon

Eye of Moon

02/12/2020

Chang'e 5 Mission Launch

Chang'e 5 Mission Launch

27/11/2020

Venus, Mercury, and the Waning Moon

Venus, Mercury, and the Waning Moon

14/11/2020

Colors of the Moon

Colors of the Moon

11/11/2020

Fear and Dread: The Moons of Mars

Fear and Dread: The Moons of Mars

30/10/2020

Milky Way over the Pinnacles in Australia

Milky Way over the Pinnacles in Australia

11/10/2020

Biking to the Moon

Biking to the Moon

02/10/2020

Moon Pairs and the Synodic Month

Moon Pairs and the Synodic Month

26/09/2020

Moon over Andromeda

Moon over Andromeda

25/09/2020

Enceladus in Infrared

Enceladus in Infrared

24/09/2020