100 Facts About Moon

100 Facts About Moon

100 Fascinating Facts About the Moon — Earth’s Only Natural Satellite

The Moon has inspired myths, exploration, science, and poetry for millennia. Here’s a full, categorized collection of 100 amazing facts about it — from its formation to its future.

1. Basic Facts (1–10)

1. The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.

2. It orbits Earth at an average distance of 384,400 km (238,855 miles).

3. The Moon is the fifth largest moon in the Solar System.

4. It’s about 1/4 the diameter of Earth (3,474 km or 2,159 miles).

5. The Moon’s mass is only 1/81 that of Earth.

6. Its gravity is about 1/6 of Earth’s.

7. The Moon is the brightest object in our night sky.

8. It reflects about 12% of sunlight that hits it.

9. The same side of the Moon always faces Earth (tidal locking).

10. The Moon takes 27.3 days to complete one orbit around Earth.

2. Formation & History (11–20)

11. Scientists believe the Moon formed 4.5 billion years ago.

12. The leading theory is the Giant Impact Hypothesis — a Mars-sized object (Theia) hit Earth.

13. The debris from that impact formed a ring around Earth.

14. That ring gradually coalesced into the Moon.

15. Initially, the Moon orbited Earth much closer than it does today.

16. The Moon’s distance increases by 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) per year.

17. Ancient rocks from the Moon are as old as 4.4 billion years.

18. The Moon helped stabilize Earth’s tilt, influencing climate and seasons.

19. Early life on Earth may have been affected by tidal cycles caused by the Moon.

20. The Moon once had a molten surface before solidifying into crust.

3. Orbit & Motion (21–30)

21. The Moon orbits Earth in a counterclockwise direction (as seen from the North Pole).

22. The orbital speed is about 3,680 km/h (2,287 mph).

23. The Moon’s orbit is elliptical, not perfectly circular.

24. The closest point to Earth is the perigee (363,300 km).

25. The farthest point is the apogee (405,500 km).

26. This distance difference causes “supermoons” and “micromoons.”

27. A supermoon appears about 14% larger and 30% brighter.

28. The Moon’s orbit is tilted about 5° to Earth’s orbital plane.

29. Because of this tilt, we don’t get eclipses every month.

30. The Moon rotates on its axis once every 27.3 days, the same time it orbits Earth — causing synchronous rotation.

4. Physical Features (31–40)

31. The Moon’s surface is covered in craters, mountains, and plains.

32. The dark, flat regions are called “maria” (Latin for “seas”).

33. Maria are ancient lava plains formed by volcanic activity.

34. The lighter areas are called the “highlands” or terrae.

35. The largest crater is the South Pole–Aitken Basin, about 2,500 km wide.

36. Craters are formed by meteorite impacts.

37. The Moon has no atmosphere to protect it from meteoroids.

38. It experiences extreme temperature swings: +127°C (day) to -173°C (night).

39. There are no active volcanoes on the Moon today.

40. The Moon’s surface is covered with regolith, a layer of dust and rock fragments.

5. Composition & Interior (41–50)

41. The Moon’s composition is similar to Earth’s mantle.

42. It has a crust, mantle, and a small core.

43. The core is mostly iron and nickel, about 480 km wide.

44. The mantle contains silicates rich in magnesium and iron.

45. The crust varies from 30 to 100 km thick.

46. The Moon has no global magnetic field, unlike Earth.

47. However, some lunar rocks are magnetized, suggesting a past magnetic field.

48. The interior is partially molten beneath the crust.

49. Moonquakes have been recorded by Apollo missions.

50. Most moonquakes are caused by tidal stresses from Earth.

6. Phases of the Moon (51–60)

51. The Moon’s phases are caused by its position relative to Earth and the Sun.

52. There are eight primary phases:

    • New Moon

    • Waxing Crescent

    • First Quarter

    • Waxing Gibbous

    • Full Moon

    • Waning Gibbous

    • Last Quarter

    • Waning Crescent

53. A full lunar cycle takes about 29.5 days (a synodic month).

54. A Blue Moon is the second full moon in a single month.

55. Blood Moons occur during total lunar eclipses.

56. During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.

57. During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks sunlight from Earth.

58. Total solar eclipses are only possible because the Sun and Moon appear the same size in the sky.

59. Eclipses repeat in cycles known as Saros cycles (~18 years).

60. Eclipses do not occur every month due to the Moon’s orbital tilt.

7. Water, Ice & Resources (61–70)

61. Scientists have discovered water ice on the Moon’s poles.

62. The ice likely exists in permanently shadowed craters.

63. The ice may have come from comet impacts or solar wind reactions.

64. Future missions may use lunar ice for drinking water and rocket fuel.

65. The lunar soil contains helium-3, a potential fusion energy source.

66. Other elements include iron, titanium, and aluminum.

67. Regolith could be used for 3D printing lunar habitats.

68. Moon dust is sharp and clingy, posing hazards to equipment.

69. Lunar dust was a major issue for Apollo astronauts.

70. Some areas near the poles may have frozen carbon dioxide and other volatiles.

8. Exploration & Human Missions (71–80)

71. The Moon is the first celestial body humans visited.

72. The Soviet Luna 2 was the first spacecraft to impact the Moon (1959).

73. Apollo 11 (1969) was the first crewed landing — Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

74. “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong.

75. 12 astronauts have walked on the Moon (1969–1972).

76. The Apollo 17 mission in 1972 was the last crewed visit.

77. The Lunar Module was designed for landing and ascent.

78. Astronauts collected 382 kg (842 lbs) of lunar rock and soil.

79. The China Chang’e missions have successfully landed rovers.

80. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon in the 2020s.

9. Cultural & Scientific Importance (81–90)

81. Many ancient cultures used the Moon for calendars.

82. The word “month” comes from “Moon.”

83. The Moon influences tides and ocean currents.

84. Full moons have inspired myths and folklore for centuries.

85. Some people believed the Moon caused “lunacy” (hence the word).

86. The Moon has been featured in art, music, and literature for millennia.

87. The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar cycle.

88. Eid al-Fitr and other Islamic holidays follow lunar months.

89. The Moon helps stabilize Earth’s axial tilt, making the climate more stable.

90. Without the Moon, Earth’s seasons could vary wildly over time.

10. Future & Fun Facts (91–100)

91. The Moon has no atmosphere, so the sky is always black.

92. Footprints from Apollo missions may last for millions of years.

93. The Moon’s far side is often called the “dark side,” but it receives sunlight too.

94. The far side has a thicker crust than the near side.

95. Radio telescopes on the far side could study the early universe without interference.

96. The Moon is slowly drifting away from Earth.

97. In about 600 million years, total solar eclipses will no longer occur.

98. Some scientists propose building a lunar base for deep space missions.

99. Future missions may mine helium-3 for clean fusion energy.

100. The Moon remains a symbol of curiosity, unity, and human exploration — our stepping stone to the stars.

The Moon is not just a bright companion in our night sky — it’s a witness to Earth’s history, a record of the Solar System’s evolution, and a gateway to humanity’s future in space.