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Learn about the Moon's origin, structure, surface features, orbit, and exploration history. The Moon is the largest and most massive moon in the Solar System, and has a significant influence on Earth's tides and climate.
- Lunar phase
As the Moon waxes (the amount of illuminated surface as seen...
- Origin of the Moon
The origin of the Moon is usually explained by a Mars-sized...
- Lunar phase
Learn about the apparent shape of the Moon's sunlit portion as viewed from Earth, and how it changes over a lunar month. Find out the names, durations, and times of the four major and four minor phases, and how they vary by location and season.
The origin of the Moon is usually explained by a Mars-sized body striking the Earth, creating a debris ring that eventually collected into a single natural satellite, the Moon, but there are a number of variations on this giant-impact hypothesis, as well as alternative explanations, and research continues into how the Moon came to be ...
Learn about the Moon, Earth's only natural satellite, and its features, phases, history and exploration. Find out how the Moon affects the tides, the seasons and the calendar.
Earth's only natural satellite is simply called "the Moon" because people didn't know other moons existed until Galileo Galilei discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610. In Latin, the Moon was called Luna, which is the main adjective for all things Moon-related: lunar.
Learn about the Moon's origin, structure, surface, orbit, phases, and potential for life. Explore the Moon's history, missions, and curiosities with NASA's science and visualizations.
Learn about the Moon's origin, structure, surface, orbit, phases, and potential for life. Find out how the Moon affects Earth's climate, tides, and exploration.
