The Moon is close and associated with the Earth since the early days of the solar system. Let’s find out interesting facts you may not know about the Moon!
The moon was born from a collision
Scientists believe that the Moon was formed from a collision between a Mars-sized meteorite and Earth 4.6 billion years ago. After the collision, matter from the Earth and the other celestial body flew into space and orbited the Earth. Gradually they became colder and condensed into small, solid asteroids, which then converged to form the Moon.
Craters on the Moon
The craters on the moon are mostly caused by meteorites and comets. By dating these craters, scientists have discovered that the Moon went through a Late Heavy Bombardment collision more than 4 billion years ago. The collision is thought to have brought water and substances that helped form life on Earth.
In addition, debris from rockets and spacecraft we launch is also the cause of craters on the moon.
The moon is the only planet humans have set foot on
On July 20, 1969, the first man on Earth landed on the Moon on the Apollo 11 space shuttle. “One small step for man but one giant leap for mankind”, a famous saying. the voice of Neil Armstrong as he took his first steps on the Moon.
Aboard Apollo 11 were three American astronauts including Neil Armstrong, Edwin Eugene Aldrin and Michael Collins. They were there for 21.5 hours and conducted seismic testing missions, collecting soil samples. All three astronauts returned safely to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24.
The Moon is the only place in outer space that humans have ever set foot on.
There is water on the Moon
In 2020, China’s Chang’e V lunar lander sent back to Earth evidence for the existence of water on the Moon’s surface. The report sent back showed that the soil sample at the landing site contained the equivalent of 120 grams of water per tonne, much drier than Earth.
Previously, water was thought to be available only in areas that did not receive sunlight due to high temperatures. However, in 2020, NASA discovered water near Clavius crater, one of the largest craters of the Moon located on the receiving side of sunlight.