The document discusses the moon's formation and properties. It provides evidence that the moon was formed by a large impact during early solar system formation. The moon has many impact craters due to lack of erosion and tectonic activity. It is a solid, rocky body that was heavily bombarded in its early history as evidenced by its regolith layer.

1. The Moon
SECTION 28.2

2. 1.) Why doesn’t the moon
appear blue like the earth?
2.) Why doesn’t the moon
have clouds like earth?

3. Landed on Moon Clip

4. Reaching for Moon

5. Reaching for Moon
• most knowledge about moon comes from space
explorations by space probes

6. Reaching for Moon
• most knowledge about moon comes from space
explorations by space probes
• Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first men to
step on moon

7. First Steps Clip

8. Lunar Properties

9. Lunar Properties
• one of largest moons (compared to size of
planet it orbits)

10. Lunar Properties
• one of largest moons (compared to size of
planet it orbits)
• moon relatively further from earth than most
moons are from planets they orbit

11. Lunar Properties
• one of largest moons (compared to size of
planet it orbits)
• moon relatively further from earth than most
moons are from planets they orbit
• solid, rocky body

12. Lunar Properties
• one of largest moons (compared to size of
planet it orbits)
• moon relatively further from earth than most
moons are from planets they orbit
• solid, rocky body
• only large moon among inner planets

13. Lunar Surface

14. Lunar Surface
• albedo - amount of sunlight moon’s surface
reflects

15. Lunar Surface
• albedo - amount of sunlight moon’s surface
reflects
• very small

16. Lunar Surface
• albedo - amount of sunlight moon’s surface
reflects
• very small
• temperatures as high as 127ºC

17. Lunar Surface
• albedo - amount of sunlight moon’s surface
reflects
• very small
• temperatures as high as 127ºC
• temperatures as low as -173ºC

18. Surface Features
• highlands - light in color,
mountainous, and heavily
covered w/ craters

19. Surface Features
• maria - dark, smooth plains
• have scattered craters
and rilles
• rilles - meandering,
valley-like structures

20. Surface Features
• impact craters - formed
when objects from space
crashed into lunar surface

21. Surface Features
• ejecta - material
blasted out during
impacts
• rays - long trails of
ejecta

22. Surface Features

23. Surface Features
• Q: Why does moon have craters, while earth
has few?

24. Surface Features
• Q: Why does moon have craters, while earth
has few?
• A: Erosion on earth has eliminated traces of all
but younger craters; on moon, craters present
until one impact covers another

25. History of Moon

26. History of Moon
• age b/w 3.8 and 4.6 billion years old

27. History of Moon
• age b/w 3.8 and 4.6 billion years old
• have regolith b/c of being bombarded heavily
by space objects

28. History of Moon
• age b/w 3.8 and 4.6 billion years old
• have regolith b/c of being bombarded heavily
by space objects
• regolith - layer of loose, ground-up rock

29. History of Moon
• age b/w 3.8 and 4.6 billion years old
• have regolith b/c of being bombarded heavily
by space objects
• regolith - layer of loose, ground-up rock
• maria slightly younger than highlands

30. Moon’s Interior

31. Tectonics on Moon?

32. Tectonics on Moon?
• Q: Is the moon tectonically active?

33. Tectonics on Moon?
• Q: Is the moon tectonically active?
• A: Has moonquakes, but theorize that NOT
tectonically active b/c no volcanos and no
significant magnetic field

34. Capture Theory

35. Capture Theory
• as solar system forming, large object ventured
too near to forming earth, became trapped by
gravitational pull, and formed into moon

36. Capture Theory
• as solar system forming, large object ventured
too near to forming earth, became trapped by
gravitational pull, and formed into moon
• something needed to slow down object to be
trapped

37. Capture Theory
• as solar system forming, large object ventured
too near to forming earth, became trapped by
gravitational pull, and formed into moon
• something needed to slow down object to be
trapped
• earth and moon composed of very similar
materials

38. Simultaneous Formation

39. Simultaneous Formation
• moon and earth formed at same time and in
same general areas thus materials they are
formed from are essentially the same

40. Simultaneous Formation
• moon and earth formed at same time and in
same general areas thus materials they are
formed from are essentially the same
• does NOT account for different amounts of
iron on earth and moon

41. Impact Theory

42. Impact Theory
• moon formed as result of gigantic collision w/
earth by mars sized object when solar system
was forming
• materials from earth’s outer layers ejected into
space and merged together to form moon