Moon Lithograph Pdf
National Aeronautics and
Moon
Space Administration
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Moon
The regular daily and monthly rhythms of Earth’s only natural satellite,
the 1970s have recorded small quakes at depths of several hundred
Significant Dates
the MOON, have guided timekeepers since ancient times. Its influence
kilometers. The quakes are probably triggered by tides resulting from
on Earth’s cycles, notably tides, has also been charted by many cultures
Earth’s gravitational pull. Small eruptions of gas from some craters,
1610
Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei made the first telescopic obser-
in many ages. More than 70 spacecraft have been sent to the Moon;
such as Aristarchus, have also been reported. Local magnetic areas
vations of the Moon.
1959–60
Luna 1–3 (U.S.S.R) were the first to fly by, impact, and photo-
12 astronauts have walked upon its surface and brought back 382 kg of
have been detected around craters, but the Moon does not have a mag-
graph the far side of the Moon.
lunar rock and soil to Earth.
netic field resembling Earth’s.
1964
Ranger 7 data indicated that the lunar surface would be suitable
for a piloted landing.
The presence of the Moon stabilizes Earth’s wobble. This has led to a
A surprising discovery from the tracking of the Lunar Orbiter space-
1966
Soviet Luna 9 made the first soft landing on the Moon.
much more stable climate over billions of years, which may have affect-
craft in the 1960s revealed strong areas of high gravitational accelera-
1966–67
Lunar Orbiters photographically mapped the Moon.
1968
Apollo 8, first piloted flight to the Moon, circled 10 times before
ed the course of the development and growth of life on Earth.
tion located over the circular maria. These mass concentrations (mas-
returning to Earth.
cons) may be caused by layers of denser, basaltic lavas that fill the
1969
Apollo 11, first human landing on the Moon, returned rock and
How did the Moon come to be? The leading theory is that a Mars-sized
mare basins.
soil samples.
body once hit Earth and the resulting debris (from both Earth and the
1970
Luna 16 was the first of 3 Soviet missions to use a robotic rover
impacting body) accumulated to form the Moon. Scientists believe that
In 1998, the Lunar Prospector spacecraft team reported finding water
to return lunar soil samples.
1972
Apollo 17 was the last of 6 Apollo missions to land astronauts and
the Moon was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago (the age of
ice at both poles. Comet impacts deposited water on the Moon. Some
return samples from the Moon.
the oldest collected lunar rocks). When the Moon formed, its outer
of it migrated to very dark, very cold areas at the poles.
1994
Clementine conducted multispectral mapping and measured alti-
layers melted under very high temperatures, forming the lunar crust,
tudes on the Moon.
probably from a global “magma ocean.”
Much remains to be learned about our Moon. Researchers continue to
1998
Lunar Prospector made a geochemical map of the Moon and dis-
study the samples and data returned by Apollo and other missions, as
covered ice at both poles.
From Earth, we see the same face of the Moon all the time because the
well as lunar meteorites.
Moon rotates just once on its own axis in very nearly the same time that
About the Images
it travels once around Earth. This is known as “synchronous rotation.”
Patterns of dark and light features on the near side have given rise to the
Fast Facts
(Left) The familiar face of the Moon, taken by Apollo 11 astronauts on their
fanciful “Man in the Moon” description. The light areas are lunar high-
way home, shows the dark maria and lighter highlands.
(Right, top center) Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin Aldrin stands facing the U.S. flag
lands. The dark features, called maria, are impact basins that were
Mean Distance from Earth
384,400 km
on the Moon.
filled with dark lava between 4 and 2.5 billion years ago.
Orbital Period
27.32 days
(Right, top right) In 1969, Apollo 12 astronaut Pete Conrad says hello to
Orbital Eccentricity
0.05
Surveyor 3, which landed in 1967.
After this time of volcanism, the Moon cooled down, and has since
Orbital Inclination to Ecliptic
18.3°–28.6°
(Right, center) Apollo 17 scientist-astronaut Harrison Schmitt stands next to
been nearly unchanged, except for a steady rain of “hits” by mete-
Inclination of Equator to Orbit
6.67°
a huge, split boulder at the Taurus-Littrow landing site on the last human mis-
sion to the moon in 1972.
orites and comets. The Moon’s surface is charcoal gray and sandy,
Rotational Period
27 d 7 h 41 m (synchronous)
(Right, bottom) Close-up view of Apollo 15 lunar sample number 15415 in
with much fine soil. This powdery blanket is called the lunar regolith,
Diameter
3,475 km
the Non-sterile Nitrogen Processing Line in the Lunar Receiving Laboratory at
a term for mechanically produced debris layers on planetary surfaces.
Mass
0.0123 of Earth’s
the Manned Spacecraft Center. This sample is the white anorthositic rock (nick-
The regolith is thin, ranging from about 2 meters on the youngest
Density
3.34 g/cm3
named the Genesis Rock) that is 4.5 billion years old—as old as Earth.
maria to perhaps 20 meters on the oldest surfaces in the highlands.
Gravity
0.17 of Earth’s
References
Surface Rocks
basaltic and anorthositic
1) Exploring the Moon Teacher’s Guide, NASA, 1997:
Unlike Earth, the Moon does not have moving crustal plates or active
Atmosphere
None
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Exploring.the.Moon
volcanoes. However, seismometers planted by the Apollo astronauts in
Mean Temperature at Surface
107 °C (day), -153 °C (night)
2) Apollo press release images: http://images.jsc.nasa.gov
3) Lunar Prospector mission: http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov
4) Clementine mission: http://www.nrl.navy.mil/clementine
LG-2001-08-531-HQ
