The surface of the moon is marked with craters developed by asteroid impacts millions of years ago. Since there is no weather, the craters have not disintegrated.
The moon is the most prominent astronomical object one can spot in the night sky. Multiple stages of the moon have helped and guided humankind for millennia. In certain cultures and religions, calendar months are equal to the time it takes to go from one full moon to the next. Ancient civilisations heavily depended upon the moon and its stages. Some even worshipped it as their ultimate god. For example, individuals who follow Hinduism believe that the day of Purnima is the day when the full moon appears in the night sky. This particular night is also associated with good and evil spirits. Moon, in general, plays a significant role in Hinduism, and people still consider it a massive part of their lives.
Moreover, the phases of the moon and its orbit remain a mystery for multiple experts. For example, the moon always reveals the same face as we can only see a single side from planet earth. That happens because it takes approximately 27.3 days to pivot on its axis and to circle Earth.
Back when I was a child, quite a few people convinced me that moon was nothing but a massive ball of cheese. I believed them mainly because the moon has numerous dents on its surface. As I grew older, I discovered that the surface of the moon is basically covered with lifeless volcanoes, impact craters, and lava flows.
Following are ten peculiar yet fascinating facts regarding the surface of the moon. Let’s have a look at them, shall we?
1) One of the recent theories suggest that the moon was formed when a massive collision tore a piece of Earth; that particular chunk eventually turned into the moon.
2) The surface of the moon is marked with craters developed by asteroid impacts millions of years ago. Since there is no weather, the craters have not disintegrated.
3) Scientists have discovered traces of water on the surface of the moon that may have originated from deep underground. Moreover, they have also discovered numerous pits that could house and shelter space explorers.
4) Near the Engel’gardt crater on the moon, there is a mountain that is approximately 2 kilometres higher than Mount Everest.
5) The Moon’s mountains are quite ancient as compared to the Earth. They are what is left of gigantic impacts in the Moon’s young life. These impressions left huge inner craters circled by enormous rims that would later become mountain ranges.
6) Astronomers brought back around 382 kilograms of lunar soil with the help of Apollo and Soviet missions. According to the reports, the soil was formed from the continuous attack of micrometeorites on the Moon for the last 4.5 billion years.
7) Around 400 years ago, Galileo Galilei aimed a massive telescope at the Moon for the first time in history. He discovered that the moon was not as smooth as it seemed from the Earth. Its surface gave an impression of the canyons, fields and mountains. Moreover, Galileo’s discovery forced him to search for imperfections in other objects in the night sky.
8) About 83% of the crust of the Moon is made of silicate rocks called anorthosites.
9) The Moon’s highlands do not have any visible folds in their plains. The highlands have low and rounded profiles that resemble the oldest mountains on Earth.
10) Moreover, most of the surface of the Moon is covered with fine soil. The upper layers of the surface are penetrable, consisting of loosely packed dust.
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