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The Moon

The Moon. Joel Tome Aaron Fujioka Pd. 3. The Moon. A roughly spherical and rocky body which orbits the Earth at an average distance of 382,942 km Moon diameter = ¼ Earth diameter Moon mass = 1/80 Earth mass. Rotation and Orbit. Rotates on axis every 29.5 days Axis tilted

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The Moon

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  1. The Moon Joel Tome Aaron Fujioka Pd. 3

  2. The Moon • A roughly spherical and rocky body which orbits the Earth at an average distance of 382,942 km • Moon diameter = ¼ Earth diameter • Moon mass = 1/80 Earth mass

  3. Rotation and Orbit • Rotates on axis every 29.5 days • Axis tilted • Craters near south pole always in shadows • Sidereal month: complete orbit of Earth • Synodic month: one lunar day, relative to sun

  4. Origin and Evolution • Collision known as “Giant Impact” or the “Big Whack” • Occurred 4.6 billion years ago between Earth and planet-sized object • Resulted in a cloud of vaporized rock which came from Earth’s surface

  5. Origin and Evolution cont. • Vaporized rock went into Earth’s orbit • Cloud cooled and condensed into a ring of small and solid bodies • Gathered together and formed the moon

  6. Origin and Evolution cont. • The quick joining together released lots of energy as heat • Creating an “ocean” of magma • It slowly cooled and solidified

  7. Origin and Evolution cont. • As the crust formed, asteroids continually hit the moon • One created the South Pole-Aitken Basin • One of the largest known impact craters in solar system

  8. Interior of the Moon • Crust- Average thickness is 43 miles • Mantle- Formed during period of global melting, low density minerals floated to the outer layers and dense minerals sank deeper • Core- Radius of 250 miles, consists mostly of iron and may contain large amounts of sulfur

  9. Surface Features • Craters: result from meteoroids, asteroids, comets • Basins: craters 190 mi or more in diameter, rings vary with size • Maria: dark areas on the surface of the moon (16% of SA)

  10. Surface Features cont. • Wrinkle ridges: blister-like humps across Maria • Rilies: snakelike depression across Maria • Volcanic features: dome/cone-shaped areas

  11. The moon’s volcanic past • Contained active volcanoes for billions of years • Large dark areas filling the moon’s craters indicate the largest volcanic flows • Almost exclusively on the near side

  12. Works Cited • Angelo, Joseph A., Jr. "Moon." Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 21 Jan. 2011. <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=ESA1805&SingleRecord=True>. • Elkins-Tanton, Linda T. "Moon." Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=SSEM0007&SingleRecord=True>. • "Moon." Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale Group, 2008. Discovering Collection. Gale. Mid-Pacific Institute. 14 Jan. 2011 <http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=DC&docId=EJ2644041517&source=gale&srcprod=DISC&userGroupName=mid&version=1.0>. • Spudis, Paul D. "Moon." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2011. Web.  18 Jan. 2011.

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