The Moon

The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and our closest celestial neighbour. Its surface, shaped by billions of years of impacts, is covered with ancient craters, vast dark plains known as maria, and rugged mountain ranges. As the Moon orbits Earth, the changing geometry between the Sun, Earth and Moon creates the familiar lunar phases, from the thin crescent to the Full Moon. Its gravitational influence also plays a major role in producing Earth’s ocean tides. Average distance from Earth: 384,400 km Diameter: 3,474 km Orbital period: 27.3 days Age: ~4.5 billion years