Introduction

Scientists are not sure how the moon was formed, but most believe it was formed by a huge body hitting the Earth when it was very young. This was probably about 4.6 billion years ago. Scientists think a body the size of Mars struck the Earth. All of the debris that collected in an orbit around the Earth came together and cooled and formed the moon.

The Moon's Surface

The moon has no atmosphere. Because of this, it has nothing to protect it from meteorites hitting it. That is why the moon’s surface is covered with craters, both large and small. Some craters are as large as states and as small as a pinpoint, depending on how big the meteoroid was that hit there. We don’t have as many craters as the moon because we have an atmosphere. If a comet or a meteor were to come to earth, it would burn up. Sometimes comets or meteors enter the Earth’s atmosphere, but the friction generated by the speed causes them to burn up before they can hit the Earth’s surface.

There is no volcanic activity on the moon, either. Without volcanic activity, the surface would not change.

Without volcanic activity or an atmosphere, nothing erodes or changes on the surface of the moon unless a meteorite hits its surface. There are no storms to wash away the soil or winds to blow. That is why a footprint left on the moon by an astronaut will stay there for millions of years.

Moon Exploration

Moon exploration continues today, although it is not heard of as it was in the early years. On July 31, 1999, the Lunar Prospector, a privately owned unmanned, spacecraft, landed on the moon. The spacecraft mapped the moon and spent much of its time looking for water. It is very important if they find water on the moon because then there could be life there. Although no water was found, it does not mean that there is not water on the moon. Mr. Alan Binder, the scientist who was responsible for the Lunar Prospector, plans on sending more spacecraft to the moon in the future. He hopes to be able to raise the money to continue his research. He is also hoping that as technology becomes better, it will be cheaper to send up more spacecrafts.

Why The Nations Have To Pay To Send Spacecrafts Into Space

Because most nations pay for sending spaceships to the moon, the government must pay the huge cost. It is much more expensive to send up a manned spaceship, which is why NASA stopped sending astronauts to the moon in 1974. Most of what the astronauts did can be done from Earth using remote controls and computers without the risk of danger to a person and for much less money. Since most nations don’t plan their budgets for space exploration years in advance, little money is left for putting people on the moon. Many think that private people, not governments, will be the ones to explore the moon next, like in the Lunar Prospector project.

Lunar Bases On The Moon

Lunar bases on the moon are possible projects for the future. Scientists have been able to make oxygen from lunar soil. Scientists have also developed ways to make building materials from lunar soil. Water can be recovered from air that people exhale. There are still many other problems that need to be solved before we can live on the moon, though. Food, temperature control, and transportation are only a few of these problems.

The temperature on the moon is between 253 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and –451 degrees Fahrenheit at night because the moon doesn’t have an atmosphere to protect it from the Sun or to hold the Sun’s heat in at night.

The moon rotates around the Earth one time every twenty-seven days, seven hours, and forty-three minutes. Because one side of the moon is heavier than the other, the Earth’s gravity has caused one side of the moon to permanently face the Earth.

The Moon is 238,857 miles away from the Earth; which is 157 trips back and forth from Los Angles to New York.