The moon

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite and has fascinated humans for centuries. Here are some interesting facts about it:

- Formation: The Moon formed about 4.6 billion years ago, likely from debris after a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized body named Theia².
- Size and Distance: It is about one-quarter the size of Earth, with a diameter of 3,474 km (2,159 miles). It orbits Earth at an average distance of 384,400 km (238,900 miles)¹².
- Synchronous Rotation: The Moon is tidally locked with Earth, meaning the same side always faces us. This is why we never see the "far side" of the Moon from Earth³.
- Surface and Atmosphere: The Moon has a rocky surface covered with craters from impacts by asteroids, meteorites, and comets. It has a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere, which is not breathable³.
- Gravity: The Moon's gravity is about 1/6th that of Earth's, so you would weigh much less there².
- Exploration: The first human landing on the Moon was by Apollo 11 in 1969, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first humans to walk on its surface. Since then, only 12 people have walked on the Moon, all of them American astronauts².

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