10 Facts About the Moon, the Real Hero of the Eclipse
Lots of attention is given to the sun during a Solar Eclipse, but really we should be talking about the Moon. So here are 10 facts you might not have know:
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It's the fifth largest in our Solar System and the biggest compared to its planet.
The Moon is the second most dense natural satellite known. Io, a moon of Jupiter, is the most dense.
The Moon always faces Earth with the same side. It rotates in sync with Earth. One side has dark plains, bright highlands, and big craters.
The Moon looks bright in the sky but is dark, influencing tides and day lengthening.
The Sun and the Moon appear similar in size from Earth. However, the Moon is actually much smaller than the Sun, but it seems the same size because it is closer to Earth.
The Moon moves about 3.8 cm farther from Earth each year.
The Moon formed when a large rock hit Earth billions of years ago as the solar system was forming.
The Moon influences the Earth’s tides in oceans and also causes small movements in the land.
The Moon also has quakes, called moonquakes, caused by Earth's gravity. Moonquakes can last up to 30 minutes, weaker than earthquakes on Earth that are short-lived...
Water found on the Moon is trapped as ice in dust and minerals on and below the surface, mainly in dark and cold areas. This ice could have arrived on the Moon from comets.
