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"

Charles P. Conrad, Jr. 1930-1999

Charles P. Conrad, Jr. 1930-1999

15/07/1999

Apollo 17's Lunar Rover

Apollo 17's Lunar Rover

01/07/1999

Uranus' Moon 18

Uranus' Moon 18

31/05/1999

The Ecliptic Plane

The Ecliptic Plane

29/05/1999

Moon Occults Saturn

Moon Occults Saturn

08/05/1999

Lunar Dust and Duct Tape

Lunar Dust and Duct Tape

01/05/1999

The Full Moon

The Full Moon

19/04/1999

Moon Over California

Moon Over California

18/04/1999

Gamma Ray Moon

Gamma Ray Moon

17/04/1999

Apollo 17's Moonship

Apollo 17's Moonship

15/04/1999

Apollo 12: Surveyor 3 and Intrepid

Apollo 12: Surveyor 3 and Intrepid

08/04/1999

Impact Moon

Impact Moon

26/03/1999

Messier Marathon

Messier Marathon

18/03/1999

The Comet and the Galaxy

The Comet and the Galaxy

14/03/1999

Lunar Close-Up

Lunar Close-Up

12/02/1999

Lunokhod: Moon Robot

Lunokhod: Moon Robot

09/01/1999

Mercury: A Cratered Inferno

Mercury: A Cratered Inferno

02/01/1999

Blasting Off from the Moon

Blasting Off from the Moon

13/12/1998

Surveyor Hops

Surveyor Hops

05/12/1998

Surveyor Slides

Surveyor Slides

14/11/1998

Leonid Meteor Shower Next Week

Leonid Meteor Shower Next Week

08/11/1998

Cutaway Callisto: Ice, Rock, and Ocean?

Cutaway Callisto: Ice, Rock, and Ocean?

06/11/1998

Natural Saturn On The Cassini Cruise

Natural Saturn On The Cassini Cruise

05/11/1998

Bats And The Barren Moon

Bats And The Barren Moon

31/10/1998

Far Side of the Moon

Far Side of the Moon

08/10/1998

One Small Step

One Small Step

04/10/1998

Sputnik: Traveling Companion

Sputnik: Traveling Companion

03/10/1998

Magnetar In The Sky

Magnetar In The Sky

02/10/1998

Lunar Prospects

Lunar Prospects

18/09/1998

Jupiters Rings Revealed

Jupiters Rings Revealed

16/09/1998