Known since prehistoric times, it is the brightest object in the sky after the sun Its name in english, like that of earth, is of germanic and old english derivation. The earth and moon are tidally locked Their rotations are so in sync we only see one side of the moon Humans didn't see the lunar far side until a soviet spacecraft flew past in 1959 The moon has a solid, rocky surface cratered and pitted from impacts by asteroids, meteorites, and comets.
Discover interesting facts about how the moon formed, what it's made out of, and the many missions humans have launched to explore it. The moon has eight phases in a lunar month Four primary and four intermediate phases A moon cycle, or a lunation, is the time the moon travels through its lunar phases. Today's lunar phases, including the moon age and details such as moonrise and moonset Discover when the moon will reach the full moon phase with a countdown timer.
Stay informed about the celestial movements above. The eight lunar phases are, in order New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent The cycle repeats about once a month (every 29.5 days). How big is the moon The moon’s diameter is approximately 2,160 miles (3,475.
The moon is one of the most recognisable objects in the solar system This proximity to earth has given it immeasurable cultural significance and means it plays a key role in earth’s tides Explore facts about this small but mighty celestial body The moon is a little over a quarter the size of.
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