100 Shocking Facts About the Moon

The Moon has fascinated humans for millennia. Its bright presence in the night sky, mysterious craters, and influence on Earth’s tides make it one of the most studied celestial bodies. From ancient myths to modern space missions, the Moon continues to surprise scientists and enthusiasts alike. Below are 100 shocking facts about the Moon, covering its formation, structure, exploration, and influence on Earth.

Facts About the Moon’s Formation

1. The Moon formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
2. It likely formed from debris after a giant collision with Earth.
3. The colliding object is believed to have been the size of Mars.
4. Some scientists call this the “Giant Impact Hypothesis.”
5. Early Earth and Moon were molten.
6. The Moon slowly cooled and solidified over millions of years.
7. Its surface contains ancient rocks from the early Solar System.
8. The Moon has no known volcanic activity today.
9. Its formation stabilized Earth’s rotation.
10. The Moon’s gravity influences Earth’s axial tilt.

Facts About the Moon’s Structure

11. The Moon is about 3,474 km in diameter.
12. It is roughly one-quarter the size of Earth.
13. The Moon’s gravity is one-sixth of Earth’s gravity.
14. It has a crust, mantle, and small core.
15. The core is partially molten.
16. The crust contains oxygen, silicon, and iron.
17. The mantle has magnesium-rich minerals.
18. The Moon has no atmosphere to protect it from impacts.
19. Its surface is covered with regolith, a layer of dust and rock.
20. Moonquakes occur due to tidal forces from Earth.

Facts About the Moon’s Surface

21. The Moon has over 300,000 craters.
22. The largest crater is the South Pole–Aitken Basin.
23. Some craters are billions of years old.
24. Dark plains called maria were formed by ancient lava flows.
25. Lunar soil is called regolith.
26. The surface temperature ranges from -173°C to 127°C.
27. Sunlight can take 1.3 seconds to reach the Moon.
28. The Moon has bright highlands and dark lowlands.
29. Meteoroid impacts constantly reshape the surface.
30. The Moon appears to have phases because of sunlight reflection.

Facts About the Moon’s Orbit

31. The Moon is approximately 384,400 km from Earth.
32. Its orbit is slightly elliptical.
33. The Moon completes an orbit around Earth every 27.3 days.
34. A lunar day equals a lunar month.
35. The Moon is tidally locked to Earth.
36. This means the same side always faces Earth.
37. The far side of the Moon remained unseen until 1959.
38. Lunar eclipses occur when Earth blocks sunlight.
39. Solar eclipses happen when the Moon blocks the Sun.
40. The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth at 3.8 cm per year.

Facts About Moon Exploration

41. The first human-made object to reach the Moon was Luna 2 in 1959.
42. The first human on the Moon was Neil Armstrong in 1969.
43. Apollo 11 astronauts planted the US flag on the Moon.
44. Buzz Aldrin was the second person to walk on the Moon.
45. Six manned Apollo missions landed on the Moon.
46. Apollo 17 was the last mission to the Moon in 1972.
47. Lunar rocks were brought back to Earth for study.
48. Moon dust can cling to space suits and equipment.
49. China’s Chang’e missions have explored the far side.
50. Robotic rovers continue to study the Moon today.

Facts About the Moon’s Gravity and Influence

51. The Moon’s gravity causes tides on Earth.
52. High tide occurs on the side facing the Moon.
53. Gravity also stabilizes Earth’s rotation.
54. The Moon affects the length of a day over millions of years.
55. Some earthquakes are influenced by lunar tidal forces.
56. Lunar eclipses helped ancient astronomers understand gravity.
57. Moonlight is reflected sunlight.
58. The Moon has no magnetic field like Earth.
59. Weight on the Moon is only one-sixth of Earth’s.
60. Astronauts can jump higher due to low gravity.

Facts About the Moon’s Phases and Visibility

61. The Moon has eight primary phases.
62. New Moon is invisible from Earth.
63. Full Moon occurs when the entire face is illuminated.
64. Crescent and gibbous phases occur in between.
65. A blue moon refers to the second full moon in a month.
66. Supermoons occur when the Moon is closest to Earth.
67. Harvest moons occur in September or October.
68. Lunar eclipses only happen during a full moon.
69. The Moon rises and sets about 50 minutes later each day.
70. Phases affect folklore, tides, and calendars.

Facts About Lunar Science

71. Moon rocks contain minerals not found naturally on Earth.
72. Helium-3 on the Moon could be used for fusion energy.
73. Water ice exists in permanently shadowed craters.
74. Moon dust is sharp and abrasive.
75. The far side of the Moon is more rugged than the near side.
76. Lunar soil contains tiny glass beads formed by impacts.
77. The Moon has frozen lava tubes under the surface.
78. Scientists study the Moon to understand Earth’s history.
79. Lunar dust may pose challenges for future settlements.
80. The Moon contains clues to the formation of the Solar System.

Fun and Shocking Facts About the Moon

81. The Moon appears bigger near the horizon due to an optical illusion.
82. Some craters have bright rays extending outward.
83. The Moon has moonquakes that can reach magnitude 5.5.
84. The far side of the Moon has more craters than the near side.
85. The Moon’s surface is covered with a powdery soil layer.
86. Lunar eclipses can last over an hour.
87. The Moon has no atmosphere to scatter light.
88. Sunsets and sunrises on the Moon are extremely slow.
89. The Moon has subtle colors detectable in high-resolution images.
90. The Moon can influence human circadian rhythms.

Shocking Facts About Moon Missions

91. Moon dust sticks to everything and is hard to remove.
92. Apollo astronauts reported a smell like burnt gunpowder.
93. Some footprints from Apollo missions may last millions of years.
94. The Moon has permanently shadowed craters at its poles.
95. Lunar rovers traveled several kilometers on the surface.
96. China is the first country to land on the far side of the Moon.
97. The Moon’s temperature can change 300°C from day to night.
98. Apollo 12 astronauts visited the site of a previous spacecraft crash.
99. NASA plans to return humans to the Moon in the Artemis program.
100. The Moon remains a key focus for future colonization and science.

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FAQs About the Moon

1. How far is the Moon from Earth?
The Moon is approximately 384,400 kilometers (238,855 miles) away from Earth.

2. Why does the Moon affect tides?
Its gravity pulls on Earth’s oceans, causing high and low tides.

3. How long does it take for the Moon to orbit Earth?
The Moon completes one orbit around Earth in about 27.3 days.

4. Who was the first human on the Moon?
Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the Moon in 1969.

5. Does the Moon have water?
Yes, water ice exists in permanently shadowed craters at the poles.

6. Why does the same side of the Moon always face Earth?
The Moon is tidally locked, so its rotation period matches its orbit around Earth.

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Also Read: Amazing NASA Facts