Interesting Facts About The Moon
  • 5 years ago
Earth’s moon is the fifth largest in the solar system. Its orbit takes 27 Earth Days. It orbits the earth from distance of approximately 240,000 miles. Every year, the moon moves about 2.5 inches further away from Earth.
Despite a general movement apart, the moon’s has an elliptical orbit and the distance is constantly oscillating. As such, a super moon is observed once a year as the moon passes at its closest point to earth. Stargazers only ever observe one side of the moon.
The Earth’s gravity prevents it from rotating on its axis at faster pace. Because of its ultra thin atmosphere, the moon is often struck by debris and space junk. This lack of atmosphere produces an extremity of temperatures. Up to 200°F facing the sun and as low as -400°F at the poles. A total of 12 people have walked on the moon. The samples collected weigh 842 lbs and are still being analyzed nearly 50 years later. Lunar Standard Time began the moment Neil Armstrong touched the lunar surface, marking Lunar Year 1 at 00:00:01.
The US may have beaten the USSR to the moon... Nevertheless, an international treaty was signed in 1967 prohibiting any one state from claiming the moon or any other celestial system. Its full title is ‘Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies’.
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