How did the moon form? Layers and Properties
The moon is still an interesting research topic for many scientists. The properties of the moon provide important information about the formation and evolution of the moon.
Formation of the Moon: Theories and Research
The origin of the Moon has been the subject of scientific research for many years. Scientists have put forward several theories about the formation of the moon. Here are some of the most common theories:
Originating from the same place: According to this theory, the moon and the Earth formed in the same place. During the rotation of the Earth, the Moon formed by breaking away from the Earth. This theory explains the fact that the Moon and Earth have similar components.
Combustion Particles: According to this theory, the Earth and Moon were formed from many combustion particles formed during the formation of the solar system. This theory has been criticized because the Moon has different components than the Earth.
From space: According to this theory, the moon was formed by being pulled toward Earth by a celestial body that was outside the solar system. This theory could explain why the Moon differs from Earth in components.
Collision Theory: According to this theory, the Earth collided with another planet about 4.5 billion years ago. As a result of this collision, the parts of the planet that collided with the Earth combined to form the moon. This theory provides more accurate explanations of the moon’s constituents and surface properties.
Today, the collision theory is the most widely accepted theory. Scientists point to the existence of evidence to support this theory. However, the formation of the moon is still not fully understood and research continues.
Layers of the Moon
The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite, and we know a lot about its surface. However, there is also a lot of interesting information about the internal structure of the moon. The structure of the moon has a three-layer structure.
Shell
The top layer of the moon is called the crust and it covers 10% of the surface. The crust is covered with craters formed as a result of volcanic lava flows and meteor impacts.
Jacket
The middle layer of the moon is called the mantle and is below the crust. The mantle consists of mantospheric rock, a solid material that is not in a liquid state.
Sunflower seed
The innermost layer of the moon is called the core and covers about 20% of the moon’s radius. The core of the moon consists of heavy elements such as iron and nickel.
The structure of the moon also has some interesting features as it has an irregular shape. The surface of the moon consists of craters, crater circles, hills and mountains. The moon also has less gravity compared to Earth due to its low density and has less atmosphere.
Characteristics of the Moon
The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite and is one of the brightest celestial objects in space. Because the Moon is close to Earth, it is easy to see from Earth and has attracted people’s attention in many periods of history. The moon has many unique features:
Dimension
The moon is the fifth largest natural satellite in the solar system. Although quite small compared to Earth, it is quite large compared to other moons in the solar system.
Track
The moon revolves around the earth and its orbit is almost circular. The Moon is at an average distance of 384,400 km from Earth.
Surface
The surface of the moon has several features, such as craters, mountains, valleys, volcanic formations, and plains. We have a lot of information about the lunar surface because spacecraft have been sent to the moon many times.
Atmosphere
The Moon has very low gravity compared to Earth and therefore has almost no atmosphere. This makes the moon’s surface more susceptible to the effects of meteor impacts, solar winds and other space events.
Sunlight
The moon reflects the light from the sun and therefore the moon is quite bright, even at night. Because the moon’s surface is so bright, it can be difficult to see other stars in the sky, even on clear nights.
Space missions to the moon
The moon has been the center of great interest throughout human history. Our knowledge about the structure, origin and formation of the moon has been obtained to this day through many researches and space missions. Space missions to the Moon are an important milestone for humanity’s space exploration.
The first spacecraft named Luna 1 was sent to the moon in 1959 by the Soviet Union. This spacecraft orbited the moon and traveled around the moon to collect information about the moon’s magnetic field, radiation and other properties. Later, Luna 2 crashed into the lunar surface and provided information about the lunar surface.
In the late 1960s, the United States launched the Apollo program to conduct manned missions to the moon. In 1969, Apollo 11 became the first spacecraft to conduct a manned mission to the moon, and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface. The Apollo program conducted six more manned missions through 1972, and a total of 12 astronauts worked on the lunar surface.
How did the moon form?
The formation of the moon is still not fully understood. However, according to current theory, Theia, an Earth-like planet, collided with Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. As a result of this collision, the remains of Theia formed a disc in orbit, which later formed the moon.
Why does the moon revolve around the earth?
The moon revolves around the earth because of the gravitational pull of the earth. Earth’s gravity keeps the moon in orbit around the earth.
How did the surface of the moon form?
The surface of the moon was formed by meteor collisions and volcanic activity. The moon has lost most of its geological activity due to the Earth’s relative smaller size. However, the moon’s surface still has inactive volcanoes and pits and craters known as lunar molds.