the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. - carl sagan -

The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.

- Carl Sagan -

THE MOON (LUNA)

THE MOON ORBITS THE EARTH AT AN AVERAGE DISTANCE OF 382,000 KM OR 229,000 MILES.

THE DIAMETER OF THE MOON IS 3,474 KM OR 2,084 MILES – ABOUT ¼ OF THE EARTH’S DIA.

THE GRAVITY ON THE MOON’S SURFACE IS 17% OF THAT OF EARTH’S.

BETWEEN 1969 AND 1972, THE U.S. MADE SIX LANDINGS ON THE MOON.

IT TAKES 29.5 DAYS FOR THE MOON TO CIRCLE THE EARTH.

ITS PERIOD OF ROTATION IS ALSO 29.5 DAYS, SO WE ONLY SEE ONE SIDE OF THE MOON.

THE MOON REFLECTS THE LIGHT FROM THE SUN, SO WE ARE SEEING ONLY THAT PART OF THE MOON THAT IS LIT BY THE SUN.

THIS RESULTS IN WHAT WE CALL PHASES OF THE MOON.

NEAR SIDE FAR SIDE

THE DARK PLAINS ARE CALLED MARIA.

THE LIGHTER COLORED REGIONS ARE HIGHLANDS.

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON – WHAT’S A BLUE MOON?

THE MOON ORBITS THE EARTH ONCE EVERY 29.5 DAYS.

THE AVERAGE MONTH IS 30.5 DAYS LONG.

IT IS NOT VERY LIKELY TO HAVE TWO FULL MOONS IN THE SAME MONTH.

THAT EVENT HAPPENS EVERY 2 ½ YEARS.

SO, A BLUE MOON IS THE SECOND FULL MOON IN A MONTH.

THE NEXT BLUE MOON WILL BE ON AUGUST 31, 2012.

MOON PLANET DIAMETER, KM

LUNA EARTH 3476

CALLISTO JUPITER 4800

GANYMEDE JUPITER 5276

IO JUPITER 3629

EUROPA JUPITER 3126

TITAN SATURN 5150

TRITON NEPTUNE 2705

PLUTO 2300

OTHER SIGNIFICANT MOONS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

THERE ARE OTHER MOONS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM THAT ARE OF GREAT INTEREST.

THE PICTURE BELOW IS OF EUROPA, ONE OF JUPITER’S MOONS. IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS COVERED IN WATER ICE.

THIS IS A CUTAWAY VIEW OF EUROPA. IT HAS AN IRON CORE AND AN OUTER LAYER OF WATER ICE AND A LAYER OF LIQUID WATER UNDERNEATH.

JUPITER’S MOON IO ORBITS CLOSER TO JUPITER AND IS SUBJECTED TO STRONG TIDAL FORCES. THIS RESULTS IN HEATING OF THE INTERIOR AND VOLCANIC ACTIVITY.

THE PICTURE AT THE LEFT IS IO IN ECLIPSE AND SHOWS ELECTRICALLY CHARGED VOLCANIC VAPORS. IO ORBITS INSIDE JUPITER’S STRONG MAGNETIC FIELD.

SATURN’S MOON TITAN HAS A HYDROCARBON ATMOSPHERE 1.6 TIMES DENSER THAN EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE. IT HAS LAKES OF LIQUID HYDROCARBONS.

VIDEO OF HUYGENS PROBE LANDING ON TITAN.

NASA TITAN TOUR