Suggested Searches

The Moon

From lighting up our skies to preserving evidence of our solar system’s history, Earth’s closest neighbor plays a pivotal role in the study of our planet and beyond.

Color image of the moon above Earth's clouds.

Does the Moon have an atmosphere?

Yes, but just barely.

In contrast to Earth’s thick layers of air, the Moon’s exosphere is a bit like the haze you get when you whack a dirty rug with a broom: it includes a sampling of particles knocked free by impact. But instead of a rug, these particles come from the lunar surface. Instead of flying through the air, they’re ejected into near-emptiness. And instead of a broom, the Moon is pummeled by space debris.

Learn more
blue Earth against a black sky above the barren lunar surface
Earthrise photographed by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, December 1968, with Earth at gibbous phase as seen from the Moon.
NASA