The Moon
Our Moon is the only place beyond Earth where humans have set foot, so far.
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About earth's moon
Small Companion
The Moon is about 27% the size of Earth.
239,000 Miles
Distance from Earth (385,000 kilometers).
Tidally Locked
We always see the same side of the Moon.
Battered Terrain
The Moon has a solid, rocky surface.
Bring a Spacesuit
The Moon's thin exosphere is not breathable.
Moonless
The Moon has no natural satellites.
Ringless
The Moon has no rings.
Destination Moon
24 humans and more than 100 robots visited.
Potential for Life?
The Moon can't support life as we know it.
Sample Returned
842 lbs (382 kg) of Moon rocks.
Overview
Earth's Moon is the brightest and largest object in our night sky. The Moon makes Earth a more livable planet by moderating our home planet's wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. It also causes tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years.
The Moon was likely formed after a Mars-sized body collided with Earth several billion years ago.
Earth's only natural satellite is simply called "the Moon" because people didn't know other moons existed until Galileo Galilei discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610. In Latin, the Moon was called Luna, which is the main adjective for all things Moon-related: lunar.
The Moon: Inside and Out
Weather on the Moon
What does “weather” mean on a world with practically no atmosphere? Explore extreme lunar surface conditions here.
The Moon's Origin Story
Several theories vie for dominance but most agree on one thing — Earth's Moon was born from destruction.
Uncovering Lunar Water
There’s water on the Moon. Follow the thread of discoveries that led up to the confirmation of its presence in 2020.
Phases, Eclipses, and Supermoons
Four to seven times a year, the Earth, Moon and Sun line up to create a cosmic-scale shadow show known as an eclipse.
Earth and Tides
As distant as the Moon may seem, its gravitational pull on Earth plays a huge role in the formation of tides.
Pop Culture
Earth's Moon has inspired stories since the first humans looked up at the sky and saw its gray, cratered surface. Some observers saw among the craters the shape of a person's face, so stories refer to a mysterious "man in the Moon." Hungrier observers compared the craters to cheese and dreamed of an entire sphere made of delicious dairy products.
The Moon made its film debut in a 1902 black and white silent French film called "Le Voyage Dans la Lune" ("A Trip to the Moon"). And a year before astronauts walked on the Moon, "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) told the story of astronauts on an outpost on the Moon.
American astronauts have planted six American flags on the Moon. But that doesn't mean the United States has claimed it; in fact, an international law written in 1967 prevents any single nation from owning planets, stars, or any other natural objects in space.
