The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and has been observed by humans since ancient times due to its prominent appearance in the night sky, second only to the Sun in brightness. It is a roughly spherical celestial body with dimensions approximately 27% the size of Earth and a mass about 1.23% that of Earth. The Moon is primarily composed of silicate rocks and lacks a significant atmosphere, hydrosphere, or substantial lithosphere.
A widely accepted hypothesis suggests that the Moon formed over 4.5 billion years ago, not long after the formation of Earth, from material ejected after a massive collision between Earth and a hypothetical object called Theia, roughly the size of Mars.
(Image: ThoughtCo)
According to The CS Monitor, based on seismic measurements of the Moon’s surface obtained by the Apollo missions more than 30 years ago, scientists have, for the first time, conducted an “exploration” into the Moon’s core.
As per these findings, the Moon has a solid iron-rich core about 483 km thick, surrounded by a molten iron layer about 90 km thick. Between these regions lies a layer of molten material approximately 149 km thick.
(Image: NASA)
According to the data transmitted, there are no truly habitable places for humans on the Moon. A day on the Moon is equivalent to about 14 Earth days. Temperatures vary dramatically depending on sunlight exposure, ranging from about -180°C at night to over 100°C during the day near the equator. There are vast reserves of ice located in craters near the poles, which never receive sunlight.
“The only place we could establish a settlement without facing harsh conditions is near the two poles of the Moon,” said Rick Elphic, a scientist involved in NASA’s LADEE satellite project, which studies the Moon’s atmosphere and dust.
(Image: NBC News)
These regions may contain substantial amounts of ice and receive little sunlight for several months. “In those places, instead of enduring scorching heat during noon on the Moon, temperatures would be around 0°C due to limited sunlight exposure.”
When moving away from the two poles, the Moon’s surface features landscapes unlike Earth. The Moon’s basins include “mountains” created by asteroid impacts, some of which are as high as 5.5 km. There are craters that likely served as ancient lava tubes, forming underground caves, making them ideal spots for explorers.
Elphic added that the Moon’s gravity is only 1/6th that of Earth, making sports activities a bit more challenging. A person on the Moon can jump high and throw a ball six times farther than on Earth. So, the distance between the goalposts on a soccer field on the Moon would have to be 549m, instead of the 91m on Earth.
“Every day is a sunny day, and there is no rain,” Elphic said. However, one must be cautious of space weather, including meteoroids the size of a golf ball and the ever-active particles from the Sun.