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The moon is our nearest natural satellite.
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The moon was created when the proto earth was
hit by a proto planet over 4.5 billion years ago. After the resulting
collision, that caused both planets to melt together, the earth proper
was born with it's orbiting moon. This is when the oldest rocks on
earth were formed.
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Solar eclipses occur when the moon is directly
in line between the sun and the earth stopping the light and casting
a shadow 20 miles wide across the earth.
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The moon is slowly orbiting further away from
the earth in a few thousand years the moon will have got far enough
away that it will no longer be able to cover up the whole of the sun
and there will be no more total eclipse of the sun visible from earth.
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The moon rotates on it's axis at the same rate
that it orbits around the earth. Because of this we always see the
same side of the moon from earth. The moon is elongated like an egg
and it is the big end that is facing towards us.
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There may be water on the moon. Scientists
have found evidence of frozen water on the moon's poles. If it is
there it could be use as rocket fuel to explore the solar system or
power a lunar base.
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As the moon's gravity pulls on the earth water
is drawn towards it creating the tides.
- The earth is not alone in having a moon. Many
of the other planets have moons orbiting them.
E-mail me your moon facts.
