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Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Chances are that when you imagine the night sky, one of the first things that comes to mind is the Moon “glowing” in the darkness. The Moon has always held a special place in our imaginations and in daily life.
Explore the Moon! Click and drag to rotate the Moon. Scroll or pinch to zoom in and out. Credit: NASA Visualization Technology Applications and Development (VTAD)
It’s no wonder that we are fascinated. The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and one that we can easily see most nights.
The Moon has inspired wonder and creativity for thousands of years. This image appeared in a 1902 French film called "Le Voyage dans la Lune" ("A Trip to the Moon").
The Moon does not shine with its own light. It simply reflects light coming from the Sun.
This is the face of the Moon that we see from Earth. This image is based on data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University
From Earth, it might look like the Moon is changing shape each night – from a tiny sliver to a half moon to a full moon and back again. What’s actually happening is that from our spot on Earth, we see different parts of the Moon lit up by the Sun as the Moon travels in its orbit.
As the Moon travels around Earth, different parts of it are lit up by the Sun. These changes in the Moon's appearance from our view on Earth are called moon phases. This graphic shows all eight moon phases we see as the Moon makes a complete orbit of Earth about every four weeks. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
No. The Moon rotates on its own axis at the same rate that it orbits around Earth. That means we always see the same side of the Moon from our position on Earth. The side we don't see gets just as much light, so a more accurate name for that part of the Moon is the "far side."
We only ever see one side of the Moon because as it orbits around Earth, it also rotates on its own axis at the same speed. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The "far side" of the Moon looks very different than the near side (see the first photo in this article). Notice how few dark areas the far side has. This image is based on data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Arizona State University
Scientists believe that the Moon formed early in the solar system’s history after Earth and an object about the size of Mars smashed into each other. The impact sent chunks of Earth and the impactor into space that were pulled together by gravity, creating the Moon.
Even thousands of years ago, humans drew pictures to track the changes of the Moon. Later, people used their observations of the Moon to create calendars.
Today, we study the Moon using telescopes and spacecraft. For example, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been circling the Moon and sending back measurements since 2009.
The Moon is the only other planetary body that humans have visited. On July 20, 1969, NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first people to set foot on the dusty surface of the Moon. Ten other American astronauts followed. They collected hundreds of pounds of lunar soil and rock samples, conducted experiments and installed equipment for follow-up measurements.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin set up several scientific experiments while on the surface of the Moon during the historic Apollo 11 mission. You can see the lunar module, “Eagle,” in the background. Credit: NASA
Today, we know that the Moon is covered by craters as well as dust and debris from comets, asteroids and meteoroid impacts. We know that the Moon’s dark areas, called maria – which is Latin for seas – are not actually seas. Instead, they are craters that lava seeped into billions of years ago. We know that the Moon has almost no atmosphere and only about one-sixth of Earth’s gravity. We even know that there is quite a bit of frozen water tucked away in craters near the Moon's poles.
There is no wind or air on the Moon to help “erase” craters, so the surface is covered with the remains of old and new impacts. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA
There are still many questions left to answer about the Moon. And the most exciting days of lunar activity may still lie ahead as NASA sends humans on the next missions to the Moon and eventually on to Mars!
NASA Science
How far away is the Moon?
Why does the Moon have craters?
What are the different types of full moons?
The Artemis missions will build a community on the Moon, driving a new lunar economy and inspiring a new generation. This video explains why returning to the Moon is the natural next step in human space exploration, and how the lessons learned from Artemis will pave the way to Mars and beyond.
Students are often asked to write an essay on Moon in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.
Let’s take a look…
The moon: our celestial neighbor.
The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. It orbits our planet approximately every 27.3 days. This celestial body doesn’t shine by itself; it reflects sunlight.
Scientists believe the Moon was formed about 4.5 billion years ago. A Mars-sized body collided with Earth, and the debris eventually formed the Moon.
The Moon has different phases: new, first quarter, full, and last quarter. These phases change as the Moon orbits Earth.
The Moon’s surface is full of craters, valleys, and mountains. It lacks atmosphere, leading to extreme temperatures.
Also check:
The moon: an astronomical marvel.
The Moon, our planet’s only natural satellite, has been a source of fascination and inspiration for humankind for millennia. Its silvery glow, waxing and waning through different phases, has sparked countless myths, scientific theories, and explorations.
The prevailing scientific theory on the Moon’s formation is the Giant Impact Hypothesis. This theory posits that about 4.5 billion years ago, a Mars-sized body named Theia collided with the early Earth, ejecting a significant amount of debris into space. This debris eventually coalesced under gravity to form the Moon.
The Moon’s surface is a barren, crater-ridden landscape with vast grey plains called ‘seas’ or ‘maria.’ The lack of atmosphere and magnetic field exposes the lunar surface to solar radiation and meteor impacts, creating a harsh environment for potential life.
The Moon’s gravitational pull is responsible for Earth’s tides. Additionally, the Moon stabilizes Earth’s axial tilt, contributing to a relatively stable climate over geological timescales, which may have aided the development of life on Earth.
In conclusion, the Moon, while seemingly just a silent observer in our night sky, plays a crucial role in our planet’s history and future. Its mysteries continue to captivate us, driving our desire to explore and understand the universe.
The beauty and importance of the moon.
The Moon, Earth’s only natural satellite, has been a source of fascination and wonder since the dawn of human civilization. Its ethereal glow, waxing and waning through phases, has inspired countless myths, stories, and scientific investigations.
The Moon’s gravitational pull is responsible for the Earth’s tides. The interplay between Earth’s and the Moon’s gravity causes the ocean’s water to bulge, creating high and low tides. This phenomenon has significantly influenced the evolution of life on Earth, affecting the behavior and physiology of many species.
The Moon has been a focal point for human space exploration. The Apollo missions, particularly Apollo 11 in 1969, marked a significant milestone in human history with Neil Armstrong becoming the first person to walk on the lunar surface. These missions not only expanded our understanding of the Moon but also ignited a global interest in space exploration.
The moon in future space endeavors.
The Moon continues to play a critical role in future space missions. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024, with plans to establish a sustainable human presence by the end of the decade. The Moon is seen as a stepping stone for further space exploration, particularly missions to Mars.
The Moon, our closest celestial neighbor, has a profound influence on Earth and continues to captivate our curiosity. Its scientific, cultural, and exploration significance cannot be overstated. As we stand on the brink of a new era of lunar exploration, the Moon promises to remain a beacon of inspiration and discovery for generations to come.
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Written by Dan
Last updated February 16, 2024
Do you ever look up at the night sky and feel completely in awe of its beauty and serenity? The moon is a stunningly gorgeous sight to behold, and it leaves many of us in wonder. But just how do you accurately convey this feeling using descriptive phrases?
In this blog post, we will be taking a look at 10 excellent examples of descriptive paragraphs about this celestial object that will surely inspire your own writing.
From its luminous glow to its craters-adorned surface, these examples truly capture the essence of the glowing satellite in unforgettable detail!
Related : For more, check out our article on Poems About The Sky here.
Table of Contents
The moon, a celestial body of enchanting beauty, hangs majestically like a silver medallion in the inky black night sky. Its surface, marked by eons of cosmic interaction, gleams with a metallic sheen that shimmers against the backdrop of infinite darkness.
It is as if an unseen artist, armed with nothing but a brush and palette of cosmic dust and starlight, has taken to the canvas of the sky, painting a picture of sublime tranquility.
The luminescent glow of the moon radiates across the expansive night, piercing through the veil of darkness, casting a glistening path for all to see. This ethereal beacon serves as a lighthouse in the otherwise unlit world, guiding lost souls and wandering hearts through the labyrinth of darkness with its gentle, comforting light.
The light of the moon is paradoxically soft yet piercing, a gentle illumination that doesn’t merely dispel the darkness, but transforms it.
It bathes the world below in a dreamscape of shimmering silver, making the mundane appear magical, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. It lends the world an otherworldly glow, creating a silvery mirage that blurs the line between reality and fantasy.
Silent and unassuming, the moon stands guard over the world from its celestial throne. With a steady and unblinking gaze, it watches over us, a silent sentinel in the vast expanse of the universe.
It witnesses our joys and our sorrows, our triumphs and our failures, ever present, ever watchful. Its quiet vigil is a comforting presence in the chaos of life, a constant in an ever-changing world.
Despite its silent demeanor, the moon speaks volumes. Its ethereal beauty is a testament to the wonders of the cosmos, a reminder that we are but a small part of a larger, grander universe. Its quiet radiance is a symbol of hope and resilience, a beacon that proves light can thrive amidst darkness, a celestial testament to the enduring spirit of life.
Related : For more, check out our article on Poems About The Moon here.
As the days pass, the moon embarks on a remarkable journey of transformation, an ethereal metamorphosis that unfolds in the vast theater of the cosmos.
Waxing and waning in an endless cycle, it performs an elegant ballet of light and shadows on the grand stage of the night sky, its movements synchronized with the celestial orchestra of stars and planets.
One moment it’s a thin sliver of light, a delicate crescent that appears to be gently cradling the enveloping darkness. This phase, known as the new moon, is when the moon is almost invisible against the backdrop of the night, a shy performer waiting in the wings for its turn to take center stage.
Slowly but surely, it begins to wax, growing incrementally larger each night. It transforms from a slim crescent to a half moon, its shape reminiscent of a perfect semi-circle drawn by an invisible hand in the sky. The darkness recedes, pushed back by the advancing light, creating a captivating interplay of light and shadow.
Finally, it reaches its full glory, becoming a full orb bathed in radiant light. The full moon casts long, ethereal shadows that dance and flicker across the landscape like ghostly apparitions. It’s as if the world below has been draped in a gossamer veil of silver, the familiar turned fantastical under the moon’s spell.
This spectacle of light and shadow is a testament to the moon’s dynamic nature, its ability to transform and adapt. It’s a silent proclamation of the moon’s resilience, its capacity to emerge from darkness to light and then retreat only to emerge again. This dance reflects the ever-changing rhythm of life, the cyclical nature of existence, the constant ebb and flow of time and tide.
Each phase of the moon is a different act in this celestial ballet, a visual narrative that tells the story of the moon’s eternal dance with the sun and the earth. It’s a performance that has been ongoing for billions of years, a timeless spectacle that continues to captivate us with its ethereal beauty and mystical allure.
Related : For more, check out our article on Descriptive Writing About King Charles here.
On still, quiet nights, when the world seems to hold its breath and every creature surrenders to the peaceful embrace of slumber, the moon steps onto her celestial stage to sing a silent song. The moon begins her solo performance as the stars twinkle like a choir in the background. It’s a symphony of soft light and tranquil silence that fills the vast expanse of the night sky, the melody a hushed whisper that reverberates through the cosmos, bouncing off distant stars and planets.
This melody is not made of notes, but of beams of light that dance across the sky, painting patterns on the canvas of the night. It’s as if the moon is strumming the strings of a celestial harp, each ray of light a different note in this quiet symphony. This is the echo of ancient cosmic forces, a tune only the heart can hear, a lullaby for the soul that evokes a sense of peace and serenity.
The moon’s song carries with it the wisdom of ages, the secrets of the universe whispered in a language that transcends words. It’s a song that has been sung since time immemorial, a timeless melody that resonates with the cosmic rhythm of the universe. Each phase of the moon is a different verse of this song, a lyrical journey that tells the story of the moon’s eternal dance with the sun and the earth.
As the song reaches its crescendo with the full moon, the world below basks in its serene glow, lulled into a state of tranquility by this celestial lullaby. And as the song slowly fades away, giving way to the break of dawn, the memory of the moon’s silent song lingers, a soothing melody etched in the heart of the night.
The moon’s surface is a complex tapestry woven with rugged and uneven craters and valleys, much like an ancient parchment marked by time. This lunar landscape, bathed in silvery light, is a testament to the moon’s stoic endurance amidst the chaos of the cosmos. These are the indelible marks of eons of cosmic bombardment it has endured, each impact leaving a lasting impression on its celestial canvas.
Each crater, from the smallest dent to the largest basin, is a story of impact and survival, a narrative of the moon’s tumultuous past. They are scars of time, etched into the moon’s surface, a visual chronicle of its history that serves as a silent testimony to its resilience. The craters, with their jagged edges and deep hollows, stand as monuments to the moon’s perseverance, symbols of its ability to withstand the trials of time.
These craters are like open books, their pages filled with tales of cosmic collisions and celestial chaos. Each one carries within it the echoes of a violent past, a time when comets and asteroids rained down upon the moon, reshaping its surface with their explosive force. Yet, despite this intense bombardment, the moon has endured, its surface a testament to its unyielding spirit.
Among these craters, some stand out more than others. The Tycho crater, with its distinctive ray system, is a beacon of the moon’s resilience. The Mare Imbrium, one of the largest craters in the solar system, tells a tale of a cataclysmic impact that forever changed the moon’s face. The Copernicus crater, with its terraced walls and central peaks, is a masterpiece of lunar topography, a testament to the moon’s dynamic nature.
Each of these lunar features adds a unique stitch to the intricate tapestry that is the moon’s surface. Together, they form a pictorial record of the moon’s history, a testament to its enduring spirit and a reminder of the cosmic forces that continue to shape our universe.
Paragraph Title | Description Focus | Sensory Details | Figurative Language | Atmosphere/Mood Created |
---|---|---|---|---|
Moon’s Mystique | The enigmatic presence of the moon in the night sky. | Silvery glow, faint craters visible to the naked eye, soft light casting shadows. | The moon hung like a guardian’s eye, keeping watch over the slumbering world. | Mysterious, protective, serene |
Lunar Landscape | The barren, yet beautiful, surface of the moon as seen through a telescope. | Stark contrast between the bright lunar highlands and the dark maria, the ruggedness of craters. | The moon’s surface whispered tales of ancient collisions in a voiceless symphony of craters and dust. | Desolate, intriguing, magnificent |
Harvest Moon | The appearance and cultural significance of the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. | Rich orange hue, the illusion of an enlarged moon, clear autumn night. | The harvest moon ascended the horizon, a glowing medallion pinned to the chest of the evening. | Abundant, warm, nostalgic |
Crescent Whisper | The delicate sliver of a waxing or waning crescent moon. | Thin crescent shape, the darkness of the new moon barely visible, the sharpness of the crescent’s curve. | A silver eyelash blinked through twilight’s curtain, heralding the secrets of the night. | Gentle, alluring, mysterious |
Moon’s Reflection | The moon’s reflection on a body of water. | Rippling light on the water’s surface, the interplay of light and dark, the mirror-like quality of still water. | The moon painted itself in strokes of liquid silver across the canvas of the lake. | Tranquil, mesmerizing, reflective |
Blue Moon Wonder | The phenomenon of a blue moon and its rarity. | The usual pale glow of the moon, with an imaginative hint of blue, the clear night sky. | The blue moon—a mischievous twist in the tapestry of the sky, a rare jewel that adorns the night only once in a while. | Enchanting, rare, whimsical |
The moon does not shine with its own light, but reflects the sun’s rays with quiet dignity, like a humble servant paying homage to its master. It is a mirror suspended in the sky, capturing the sun’s brilliance and sharing it with the world even in the midst of encroaching darkness.
This reflective solitude of the moon makes it a symbol of hope, a promise of light amidst the shadows, a beacon guiding us through life’s darkest moments. Its silvery glow is a reminder that even in the darkest times, there is always a source of light, always a glimmer of hope.
The moon is more than just a celestial body; it is a cosmic clock, marking the passage of time with its ever-changing phases. Each new moon heralds a fresh start, a blank canvas waiting to be painted with the vibrant hues of life.
As it waxes to fullness, it is a reminder of the cyclical nature of existence, the constant ebb and flow of time and tide, a lesson in patience and perseverance. The moon’s phases are like the hands of a clock, ticking away the seconds, minutes, and hours of our lives, a constant reminder of the fleeting nature of time.
The moon exerts a silent pull on our planet, tugging at the restless oceans to create the rhythmic dance of the tides. It’s a subtle yet powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all things, the invisible threads that bind us to the cosmos.
This gravitational bond transcends physical distance, an unseen force deeply felt, a reminder of our place in the grand scheme of the universe. The ebb and flow of the tides, driven by the moon’s magnetic pull, is a tangible demonstration of this cosmic connection, a daily reminder of our relationship with the celestial world.
In the solitude of the night, the moon is a comforting companion, a silent friend providing solace in the stillness. It offers a comforting presence, a soft glow in the darkness that soothes the soul and calms the mind.
It’s a constant in our changing lives, a familiar face in the ever-evolving tapestry of the sky, a symbol of constancy and reliability. Its gentle light is a source of comfort and reassurance, a beacon of hope in the midst of uncertainty, a constant companion in the journey of life.
The moon has a mystical allure, a captivating charm that has fascinated humans for centuries. It has served as the muse of poets, the inspiration for artists, and the subject of countless myths and legends.
It’s a symbol of mystery and magic, a celestial body shrouded in an aura of enchantment, its silvery glow instilling a sense of wonder and awe in the hearts of those who gaze upon it. Its mystique is timeless, a source of endless fascination and inspiration, a celestial muse that continues to captivate us with its ethereal beauty.
Despite its apparent proximity, the moon is a world away, unreachable by the hand but not by the imagination. It’s a distant dream, a tantalizing goal that has spurred humanity to reach for the stars.
It’s a reminder of the vastness of the universe, the infinite possibilities that lie beyond our earthly confines, a testament to our innate desire to explore and discover. The moon’s unreachable distance is a challenge, a call to action, a catalyst that ignites the spark of exploration and adventure within us.
These examples have shown us the many ways in which the moon can be described, each one painting a unique picture that captures some aspect of its enchanting beauty.
From its role as a beacon of light in the darkness to its enduring spirit reflected in its scarred surface, the moon offers endless inspiration for those willing to look up and appreciate its majesty.
So, the next time you find yourself staring at the moon, let these examples guide your thoughts and inspire your words. Let the moon’s radiant glow ignite your imagination, let its tranquil presence soothe your mind, and let its timeless beauty captivate your heart. Remember, the moon isn’t just a celestial object; it’s a canvas for your creativity, a narrative waiting to be written, and a story waiting to be told.
About The Author
I'm Dan Higgins, one of the faces behind The Teaching Couple. With 15 years in the education sector and a decade as a teacher, I've witnessed the highs and lows of school life. Over the years, my passion for supporting fellow teachers and making school more bearable has grown. The Teaching Couple is my platform to share strategies, tips, and insights from my journey. Together, we can shape a better school experience for all.
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Kate Howells • Apr 25, 2023
When is the next full moon? The next full moon will be on Tuesday, September 17.
Night after night — and sometimes day after day — you’ll see the Moon take a slightly different shape in the sky. These different shapes are called the phases of the Moon, and they change with a regular pattern over a period of about 30 days.
The phases of the Moon are caused by the changing positions of the Moon, Earth, and the Sun. As the Moon goes around the Earth, different parts of it are illuminated by the Sun. But because the same side of the Moon always points toward Earth, most of the time some of the illuminated part (daytime on the Moon) faces away from us. And, some of the non-illuminated part (nighttime on the Moon) faces toward us. This creates the different phases of the Moon.
There are eight main Moon phases:
New Moon : This is when you can’t see the Moon easily at all, because the part that is illuminated by the Sun is on the side of the Moon pointing away from Earth. This phase happens when the Moon is between the Sun and Earth. Because the Moon’s orbit around the Earth is tilted by about five degrees, it’s usually either above or below the Sun. But sometimes it lines up directly with the Sun, and this creates a solar eclipse . On average, a solar eclipse happens between two and five times each year.
Waxing crescent : As it moves in its orbit, a small sliver of the Moon becomes visible. It takes a crescent shape because of the Moon’s roundness; we only see the edge of the part that’s illuminated by the Sun, and that edge is on a round object so it appears curved.
First quarter : This is when half of the Moon’s illuminated surface is visible from Earth. This is the equivalent of saying we are seeing one-quarter of the total Moon’s surface illuminated, hence the rather confusing name.
Waxing gibbous : When more than half of the Moon’s surface visible from Earth is illuminated, we call it a Gibbous Moon.
Full Moon : When the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, we see the entire near-side of the Moon illuminated. For the same reason we don’t have solar eclipses with every new Moon, we don’t get lunar eclipses with every full Moon. The Moon's orbit around the Earth is tilted by about five degrees, meaning sometimes it’s below our shadow and sometimes it’s above it. But every once in a while things line up so that it does go through the Earth’s shadow, and we get a lunar eclipse .
Waning gibbous : After the full Moon, the illuminated portion of the Moon visible from Earth begins to wane, or decrease in size. During the waning gibbous phase, the Moon’s surface visible from Earth is still mostly illuminated.
Third quarter : This is when half of the Moon’s illuminated surface is visible from Earth. The illuminated part is the half of the near side of the Moon that was not illuminated at first quarter.
Waning crescent : The final phase of the Moon is the waning crescent, which happens when only a small sliver of the Moon is visible (on the far side of the Moon’s visible surface, compared to the waxing crescent) before it disappears into the new Moon phase once again.
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In the 1950s, the Cold War sparked a race to visit Earth's moon with flybys, robots, and crewed missions. Here's what we discovered—and what's next.
For as long as humans have gazed skyward, the moon has been a focus of fascination. We could always see our cosmic partner’s mottled, cratered face by eye. Later, telescopes sharpened our views of its bumps, ridges, and relict lava seas. Finally, in the mid-20th century, humans visited Earth’s moon and saw its surface up close.
Since then, a volley of spacecraft have studied our nearest celestial neighbor, swooping low over its dusty plains and surveying its curious far side. Now, after six decades of exploration, we are once again aiming to send humans to the lunar surface.
The earliest forays into lunar exploration were a product of the ongoing Cold War, when the U.S. and Soviet Union sent uncrewed spacecraft to orbit and land on the moon.
The Soviets scored an early victory in January 1959, when Luna 1 , a small Soviet sphere bristling with antennas, became the first spacecraft to escape Earth’s gravity and ultimately fly within about 4,000 miles of the moon’s surface. (Read more about early spaceflight.)
Later in 1959, Luna 2 became the first spacecraft to make contact with the moon's surface when it crashed in the Mare Imbrium basin near the Aristides, Archimedes, and Autolycus craters. That same year, a third Luna mission captured the first, blurry images of the far side of the moon—where the rugged highland terrain is markedly different from the smoother basins on the side closest to Earth.
Then, the U.S. got in the game with nine NASA Ranger spacecraft that launched between 1961 and 1965, and gave scientists the first close-up views of the moon’s surface. The Ranger missions were daring one-offs, with spacecraft engineered to streak toward the moon and capture as many images as possible before crashing onto its surface. By 1965, images from all the Ranger missions, particularly Ranger 9 , had revealed greater detail about the moon’s rough terrain and the potential challenges of finding a smooth landing site for humans.
In 1966, the Soviet spacecraft Luna 9 became the first vehicle to land safely on the lunar surface. Stocked with scientific and communications equipment, the small spacecraft photographed a ground-level lunar panorama. Later that year, Luna 10 launched, becoming the first spacecraft to successfully orbit the moon.
NASA also landed a spacecraft on the moon’s surface that year with the first of its Surveyor space probes , which carried cameras to explore the moon's surface and soil samplers to analyze lunar rock and dirt. Over the two years that followed, NASA launched five Lunar Orbiter missions that were designed to circle the moon and chart its surface in preparation for the ultimate goal: landing astronauts on the surface. These orbiters photographed about 99 percent of the moon's surface, revealing potential landing sites and paving the way for a giant leap forward in space exploration. (See a map of all lunar landings.)
At the time, NASA was racing to fulfill a presidential promise: In 1961, President John F. Kennedy committed the United States to landing a person on the moon before the decade was complete. The Apollo program , by far the most expensive spaceflight endeavor in history , kicked off that year, and by the time it ended in 1972, nine missions and 24 astronauts had orbited or landed on the moon.
Perhaps the most famous of those, Apollo 11 , marked the first time humans had stepped on another world.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin touched down in the Sea of Tranquility in the lunar lander Eagle, while astronaut Michael Collins orbited the moon in the command module Columbia. Armstrong, who pressed the first bootprints into the moon’s surface, famously said , “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” The pair stayed on the moon’s surface for 21 hours and 36 minutes before rendezvousing with Collins and heading back to Earth. ( Exploring the legacy of Apollo 11 at the dawn of a new era of space travel. )
Each mission after Apollo 11 set new milestones in space travel and lunar exploration. Four months after the first humans reached the moon, Apollo 12 touched down, achieving a much more precise landing on the moon.
Apollo 13 narrowly avoided a near-disaster when on-board oxygen tanks exploded in April 1970, forcing the crew to abort a planned moon landing. All three survived.
During the third lunar landing, in January 1971, Apollo 14 , commander Alan Shepard set a new record for the farthest distance traveled on the moon: 9,000 feet. He even lobbed a few golf balls into a nearby crater with a makeshift 6-iron .
Apollo 15 , launched in July 1971, was the first of three missions capable of a longer stay on the moon. In the course of three days spent on the lunar surface, achievements included collecting hundreds of pounds of lunar samples and traveling more than 17 miles in the first piloted moon buggy. (The Soviet Union had sent a remotely controlled rover to the moon , Lunokhod 1, in 1970.)
Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 in 1972 were the two most recent crewed missions to the moon, and Russia’s Luna-24 crewless spacecraft in 1976 was the last to land until the following century. Samples collected during these lunar explorations produced huge amounts of knowledge about the geology and formation of the Earth’s moon . (See a timeline of the space race and its modern-day version in private spaceflight.)
After the dramatic accomplishments of the 1960s and 1970s, the major space agencies turned their attention elsewhere for several decades. So far, only 12 humans—all Americans and all men—have set foot on the moon.
It wasn’t until 1994 that the moon came back into focus for the United States, with a joint mission between NASA and the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. The Clementine spacecraft mapped the moon's surface in wavelengths other than visible light, from ultraviolet to infrared . Hiding in the more than 1.8 million digital photos it captured were hints of ice in some of the moon’s craters.
In 1999, the Lunar Prospector orbited the moon, confirming Clementine’s discovery of ice at the lunar poles, a resource that could be crucial for any long-term lunar settlement. The mission's end was spectacular: Prospector slammed into the moon, intending to create a plume that could be studied for evidence of water ice but none was observed. (Ten years later, NASA’s LCROSS spacecraft repeated this experiment and found evidence for water in a shadowed region near the moon’s south pole .)
Since 2009, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken high-resolution maps of the lunar surface. Between 2011 and 2012, it was joined in orbit by NASA’s twin GRAIL probes —named Ebb and Flow—which mapped the moon’s gravitational field before intentionally crashing into a region near the lunar north pole.
NASA isn’t the only space agency with a surging interest in the moon. Within the last two decades, lunar exploration has gone truly international—and even commercial.
In 2007, Japan launched its first lunar orbiter, SELENE . China launched its first lunar spacecraft the same year, and India followed suit in 2008. By 2013, China became the third country to successfully land on the lunar surface, when its Chang’e-3 spacecraft deployed the Yutu rover.
More milestones—both for better and worse—were achieved in 2019. In January, another Chinese lander, Yutu-2, made history by becoming the first rover to touch down on the lunar farside . Meanwhile, India’s second lunar orbiter, Chandrayaan-2 , unsuccessfully deployed a small lander, Vikram , on the lunar surface that year. (India’s space agency hopes to try again in 2021 .) And in April 2019 Israel aimed for the moon with the launch of its Beresheet spacecraft . Unfortunately, even though the spacecraft achieved lunar orbit, it crashed during its attempt to land.
Unlike other spacecraft that came before it, Beresheet was built largely with private funding , heralding a new era of lunar exploration in which private companies are hoping to take the reins from governments.
NASA, for one, is partnering with commercial spaceflight companies to develop both robotic and crewed landers for lunar exploration; among those companies are SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Astrobotic. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin have announced the goal of establishing a lunar base near the south pole where people could work and live. SpaceX is developing a spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to the moon and Mars , and is also developing a plan to bring tourists to lunar orbit. ( The future of spaceflight—from orbital vacations to humans on Mars .)
And not to be overshadowed by the commercial sector, NASA is planning its own ambitious return to the moon. The agency’s Artemis program, a sister to the venerable Apollo project, aims to put the first woman—and the next man— on the moon by 2024 . The backbone of Artemis is NASA’s Orion space capsule , currently in development, although the agency is also partnering with private companies to achieve its goal.
If Artemis goes well, then the near future might also see NASA and partners developing a space station in lunar orbit that could serve as a gateway to destinations on the moon’s surface—and beyond.
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Home — Essay Samples — Science — Moon — If I Were on the Moon: Imagination and Exploration
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Published: Sep 16, 2023
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The lunar landscape: a barren beauty, the weight of one-sixth gravity, the earthrise: a profound perspective, the challenges of lunar exploration, the lunar legacy and the future, conclusion: a journey of imagination.
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Data from India's recent Chandrayaan-3 mission supports the idea that an ocean of molten rock once covered the moon.
This article was originally published in The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
Joshua Snape is a Royal Society University Research Fellow in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester.
Data from India’s recent Chandrayaan-3 mission supports the idea that an ocean of molten rock once covered the moon . Scientists from the mission have published their new findings in the journal Nature .
On Aug. 23 2023, a lander called Vikram successfully touched down on the lunar surface. Controllers then deployed a rover called Pragyan, which had been stowed on Vikram, to explore the landing site .
The location where Vikram touched down was further south than any other landing craft had previously been on the moon. It gave scientists an insight into geology of the moon that had not yet been sampled.
Pragyan’s measurements found that the particular mix of chemical elements in the lunar soil (or regolith) surrounding the lander was relatively uniform. This regolith was primarily made up of a white rock type called ferroan anorthosite .
The scientists say the chemical composition of the lunar south pole regolith is intermediate between those of samples from two locations in the moon's equatorial region: those collected by astronauts on the US Apollo 16 flight in 1972, and those returned to Earth by the robotic Luna-20 mission , flown by the Soviet Union the same year.
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The broad similarity in the chemical compositions of all these samples, despite the fact they came from very distant geographical locations on the moon, supports the idea that a single magma ocean covered the moon early in its history.
The moon is thought to have formed when a Mars-sized planet collided with Earth , ejecting rock that subsequently coalesced to form our planet's only satellite. The lunar magma ocean is thought to have been present from its formation to tens or hundreds of millions of years afterwards.
The cooling and crystallization of this magma ocean eventually led to the ferroan anorthosite rocks that make up the moon's crust.
Geologically, the lunar highlands are thought to partially represent the ancient lunar crust. Chandrayaan-3, Apollo 16 and Luna 20 all landed in highland regions, allowing comparisons. As such, it presented an opportunity to test predictions of the theory that the moon was covered in a global ocean of liquid rock – known as the lunar magma ocean (LMO) model.
The authors highlight how their measurements show the uniformity in the composition of the moon's surface over several tens of meters where the rover was operating.
"Ground-truth" measurements such as these are crucial for interpreting observations made by orbiting spacecraft. For example, the authors compared these results with data from two previous Indian lunar missions, Chandrayaan-1 and -2, which both measured the lunar surface from orbit.
The consistency between these earlier spacecraft measurements and those made by the Pragyan rover gives new confidence to the orbital datasets. The orbital data suggests the lunar surface in this region is uniform in its chemical composition over an area of several kilometers.
These measurements are also invaluable when it comes to interpreting lunar meteorites . These are samples of rock ejected into space from the lunar surface when a space rock collides with the moon.
These rock fragments may later enter Earth's atmosphere , and some even hit the ground. These represent fantastic samples, as the random nature in which they are thrown from different parts of the moon means we receive samples from areas not visited by previous missions.
However, precisely because of this random mode of sampling, it is difficult to know where on the moon they have come from, preventing us from placing them in their proper context. So, the Pragyan rover measurements help us build a picture of what different regions of the moon look like, and how our meteorite samples compare.
The lunar magma ocean model was first conceived following the return of samples from the Apollo 11 mission. That mission landed in an area dominated by dark basaltic rock (think of the stuff produced by volcanoes in Iceland or Hawaii). However, researchers at the time noticed the Apollo 11 soils also contained fragments of white rock, rich in the mineral anorthite, which was given the name ferroan anorthosite.
This observation led to the suggestion that the white rock represented tiny fragments of the original, ancient lunar crust. As the magma ocean cooled, denser minerals such as olivine and pyroxene sank to form a deeper layer called the mantle, while the ferroan anorthosite – being less dense than the surrounding magma – floated to form the moon's first crust.
Since the original lunar magma ocean models were proposed, various suggestions have been made to explain additional complexities about lunar samples and geological observations of the moon more generally – for example, the fact that the lunar nearside crust appears to be much thinner than that of the farside.
Equally, it is unclear exactly why the nearside has experienced so much more volcanic activity, resulting in it being dominated by vast plains of dark basaltic rock, while the farside appears to comprise more of ferroan anorthosite.
In trying to address these problems, researchers have developed detailed models to explain how the lunar crust formed and was later modified by volcanic eruptions and impact cratering. Some models have predicted multiple layers to the lunar crust, with the ferroan anorthosite rocks at the top and more magnesium-rich rocks underneath.
Interestingly, the composition measured in this study is not what would be expected of the pristine ferroan anorthosite thought to have comprised the ancient lunar crusts. Instead, it contains more magnesium.
— 'Wonder material' found in lunar samples hints at moon's origins
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This observation indicates a higher concentration of certain minerals in the lunar crust than was suggested by the original lunar magma ocean models. The authors suggest their measurements may represent a mixed composition of the ferroan anorthosite rock that makes up the ancient lunar crust, together with material from the underlying layers of more magnesium-rich rocks.
These different layers of material would have been mixed by the excavation of material during impact cratering on the moon. In particular, the Chandrayaan-3 landing site would probably have been covered by about 1.5-2km of ejected rock from the so-called " South Pole-Aitken" impact basin – a 2,500km diameter depression in the surface that is thought to have been created by a colossal impact event early in the moon's history.
Later impact cratering events would have further mixed and distributed this material, resulting in the kind of chemical signature measured by the Chandrayaan-3 mission in this study.
Originally published at The Conversation .
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].
Royal Society University Research Fellow, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester
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The loss of the magma played a crucial role in the moon's landscape formation.
There was once a magma-filled ocean on the south pole of the moon, scientists recently discovered after analyzing lunar soil that revealed ancient information about the moon's origin.
The study of soil taken from a less-studied region of the moon suggests the presence of remnants of a former ocean of magma, according to a study published Wednesday in Nature .
The researchers analyzed lunar soil extracted from high-latitude regions on the southern portion of the moon -- taken as part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission when India’s Vikram lander module made a historic touchdown near the south pole of the moon in August 2023 . The mission is the southern-most landing that has ever taken place on the moon -- a difficult feat considering the lack of sunlight, which can create visibility and communication issues, Anil Bhardwaj, director of Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad and co-author of the study, told ABC News. Most lunar landings, especially human landings, have taken place in the equatorial or low-latitude regions.
The mission embarked the use of new technology -- a particle access spectrometer -- an instrument aboard the rover that was able to make observations and collect data very close to the lunar surface, M. Shanmugam, the lead engineer of the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer at the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, told ABC News.
The composition of the soil found on Vikram’s landing site is consistent with an ancient magma ocean, the authors conclude.
When analyzing the soil, the researchers found a relatively uniform elemental composition among 23 measurements at various spots along the lunar surface, primarily containing the rock-type ferroan anorthosite. The spectrum of elements also included all of the major and minor elements of the presence of magma, including sodium, aluminum, magnesium, carbon, silicon, sulfur, potassium, iron, titanium, chromium and manganese, Bhardwaj said.
The moon is believed to have formed after a body the size of Mars struck Earth about 4.24 billion years ago, Bhardwaj said. The material that formed as a result of the volatile impact was likely magma that was thrown into space that remained within the Earth's gravitational pull and eventually began forming a planetary-mass object.
The magma ocean is likely to have existed for tens to hundred million years, Santosh Vadawale, a professor in the Physical Research Laboratory and lead author of the study, told ABC News.
Researchers believed the magma disappeared as the moon cooled throughout its formation, hypothesizing that, less dense ferroan anorthosite floated to the lunar surface while heavier minerals sank to form the mantle during the cool-down -- forming the lunar highlands as a result of the floatation of lighter anorthositic rock.
Previous research into the Moon’s geology has primarily relied on samples taken by missions to lunar mid-latitudes, such as the Apollo program, giving scientists a more nuanced look into the history of the moon's formation, according to the paper.
While the lunar magma ocean hypothesis has existed for decades, ever since the Apollo mission placed humans on the moon in 1969, the new research has allowed researchers to confirm the evolutionary history of the moon from billions of years ago, Vadawale said.
"Our next mission, we would like to try to go as close as possible to poles, where there are these permanently shadowed regions where there is water is supposed to be there," he said.
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As with all things Indian, however, the sense of deep pride in this victory is also complex. As I found out during these past few days, it can have wildly different implications for different people based on their age, where they live and their outlook on life.
But first, one indisputable fact that unites us all, diverse bunch that we are. Launched with a budget of about US$90 million – small change when compared to the deep pockets of other countries’ space programmes – the moon mission appealed to the Indian sense of thriftiness.
India makes historic landing on the lunar south pole, becoming the 4th country to land on the moon
Even though the intent was to show how much of an outlier India’s space programme was, it was a caricature that some Indians felt reeked of racism and stereotyping. After all, the average Indian – and, more so, an Indian scientist – can’t be represented by a rural farmer, and our average rural farmer isn’t always poor or lacking in knowledge.
While they say they are proud of the hard work and brain power behind the achievement, a lingering question remains. Why spend to explore another world when we can’t afford to care for this one? When someone asked me this on social media, I was reminded how, on most days, we do well when we’re firmly grounded in the present but, on others, it’s good to look to the future and dream.
These scientists have inadvertently become poster girls for gender equality in an India that still emphasises how women aren’t complete without marriage. Young girls are pushing back on these absurd expectations, learning that making a perfectly soft, round roti for your in-laws can no longer be the ultimate virtue for women in this changing India.
“Girls, take inspiration from these beautiful women!” wrote one user on X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing a picture of the women scientists. “[The round] roti can wait.”
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, southern India
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