Moon Notes

Moon Facts

The Moon is a natural satellite.

The Moon is the 5th largest natural satellite in our solar system.

Earth to the Moon is 384,403 km, (equal to the Earth’s diameter x 30).

Moon's diameter is 3,474 km (~1/4 of the Earth’s diameter).

Moon's volume is about 2% that of Earth.

The pull of gravity at the Moon’s surface is about 17% that of the Earth.

Moon Size

Moon’s Orbit

The Moon makes a complete orbit around the Earth every 27.3 days.

The lunar phases repeat every 29.5 days.

Phases of the Moon

Moon Phase Animation http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/labs/moon/lunar_p

hase3.swf

Phases of the Moon

New Moon

Waxing Crescent

1st Quarter

Waxing Gibbous

* everything moves from right to left

Phases of the Moon

Full Moon

Waning Gibbous

3rd Quarter

Waning Crescent

* everything moves from right to left

Moon’s Synchronous Rotation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

OZIB_leg75Q

Moon’s Synchronous RotationSynchronous- moves at same rate

The Moon’s rotation is synchronous with its orbit. They both take about 27 days to complete.

This means that we always see the same side of the moon!

Did you know?The Moon is the only celestial body

to which humans have traveled and upon which humans have landed.The footprints left by the Apollo astronauts

will not erode for at least 10 million years because there is no wind or water on the Moon.

\ Is this picture fake?