The Moon’s Impact On Us

What is the Moon?

The Moon is a large satellite that orbits around the Earth.

Why do we see it?

We see the moon on Earth because light from the sun bounces off of it and reflects to our surface.


Effects on Earth

The moon’s orbit causes tides on earth, provides us with light at night, and stabilizes our axial tilt.


Fun Moon Facts

  • The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and the fifth largest moon in the solar system.

  • The Moon’s presence helps stabilize our planet’s wobble, which helps stabilize our climate.

  • The Moon’s distance from Earth is about 240,000 miles (385,000km).

  • The Moon has a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere.

  • The Moon’s entire surface is cratered and pitted from impacts.


Have you noticed the moon looks different each night? Let’s take a look at why!

Rotation

The moon has an imaginary pole through it, called an axis, that it spins around. The axis of the moon and Earth are tilted from straight.




The turning around a body's axis is called rotation.

The rotation of the earth causes the moon to appear to move through our sky in an arching pattern.

The Moon is constantly rotating around its axis, but that’s not the only movement they are doing in space!

It is revolving, too!

Revolution

The Moon revolves around Earth

The moon is revolving on a path around the Earth.

Revolution is the complete circular motion a space object makes around another object.

Orbit

The path an object takes to revolve around another is called and orbit.


Orbits are usually always shaped like an egg or an oval.


A "Year" is really one full revolution through an orbit.



Let's add up all those movements!



The revolution of the moon along

its 27 day orbit around the earth,

while it slowly rotates on its own

axis, causes light to hit different

portions of the moon, creating its

changing face.


The Earth blocks the sunlight from

reaching the moon along the moon’s

orbit around the Earth.


There’s more to the Moon!