19-4 Earth’s Moon

Earth’s moon

No atmosphereTemperatures range from 100 degrees

celsius to -170 degrees celsius.Gravity is 1/6th that of Earth.Contains 1/8 the mass of Earth, but the

density is the same throughoutNo internal heat

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/image/s_full-moon.jpg

Formation of the moon

Several theoriesCollision theory where Mars sized object

skimmed off young Earth, materials from outer layers were thrown into space and combined with an asteroid to form the moon.

http://www.newsday.com/media/thumbnails/graphic/2007-11/33979611-27102328.jpg

Features of the moon

Galileo an Italian astronomer invented the telescope. He saw three types of features.

Craters – vary in size, circular, caused by meteoroid impacts, there is no erosion on the moon.

Highlands – mountains that cast long shadows

Maria – thought to be seas, but really ancient lava flows – flat dark areas

http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ZAsGDKe2oQ5lvM:http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/Moon-So-Highlands.jpg

http://sos.noaa.gov/images/Solar_System/moon.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Moon_Crescent_-_False_Color_Mosaic.jpg/260px-Moon_Crescent_-_False_Color_Mosaic.jpg

Highlands are bright pink areas in image on left.

Missions to the moon

1961 NASA was launched1964-1972 Space race, Soviets and USASurveyor (US) was the first to landSurface of the moon is solid, but covered

in a layer of fine dust. Footprints remain forever. No weathering and erosion.

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/nasa-space-race-2.jpg

Moon landings

July 1969, US landed Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin were in a tiny lunar lander named Eagle.

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.

Image from http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3MWI6ELXNLE/SZ1pKqYMMgI/AAAAAAAAGd8/d74ROwygXl4/s400/Apollo+11+-+Footprint+left+by+astronaut+on+lunar+soil+during+Apollo+11+lunar+mission+in+which+astronauts+Neil+Armstrong+%26+Buzz+Aldrin+took+walk+on+moon%27s+surface+%28July+1969%29.jpg

Moon rocks

Everything we know about the moon was found out from the moon rocks brought back from the moon landings.

Almost all of the moon rocks were formed by cooling of molten material. (volcano)

The surface of the moon was once very hot.

Also evidence of meteor bombardment.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/fts/images/houston_spacejunk_05.jpg

http://www.popastro.com/moonwatch/moon_guide/as16-113-18359.jpg

Lunar Seismometer

Moon rock in image on left

Instruments left on the moon

Instruments left on the moon show that the interior has cooled.

There is no seismic (earthquakes) activity except from meteors.

The entire surface of the moon has been photographed.

There is evidence of frozen water at the poles.The far side of the moon (the one we don’t see)

is much rougher than the side we see.

Buzz Aldrin- Apollo 11 astronaut, he walked on the moon

Uhh Buzz Lightyear- he didn’t

http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/24412-large.gif

http://diggpoint.com/wp-content/images/2008/12/aldrin.jpg