🌕 Moon

Facts About the Moon: The Companion That Made Life Possible

Without the Moon, Earth's axis would wobble unpredictably — and seasons, weather, and life as we know it might never have stabilized.

30 FactsVerifiedA FactFacts Post

Our Moon is unusually large for the planet it orbits. Most moons in the solar system are tiny relative to their host; ours is roughly a quarter of Earth's diameter. The leading theory is that it formed when a Mars-sized body slammed into early Earth and the debris coalesced in orbit.

It stabilizes our axial tilt, drives the ocean tides, and is slowly receding — about 3.8 centimeters per year. Hundreds of millions of years from now, total solar eclipses will no longer happen.

The verified facts below cover lunar geology, the moon landings, far-side mysteries, and the surprising ways the Moon has shaped life on Earth.

Below: every fact from our verified archive that touches this topic. Each is independently sourced; click through to its dedicated page.

01
Space

The Moon slowly moves away from Earth by a few centimeters each year.

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02
Space

The Moon's gravity influences ocean tides.

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03
Space

The Moon has no atmosphere like Earth's.

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04
Space

The Moon's surface is covered in craters.

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05
Space

The Moon always shows the same face to Earth.

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06
Space

The Moon has no breathable atmosphere.

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07
Space

Solar eclipses occur when the Moon blocks the Sun from Earth's view.

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08
Space

The Moon's gravity affects ocean tides.

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09
Space

The Moon was likely formed after a massive collision with early Earth.

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10
Space

The Moon completes an orbit around Earth in about 27 days.

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11
Space

The Moon's surface is covered with regolith, a layer of loose rock and dust.

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12
Space

The Moon has lower gravity than Earth.

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13
Space

The Earth's gravity keeps the Moon in orbit.

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14
Space

The Moon's surface temperature varies dramatically.

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15
Space

The Moon was formed billions of years ago.

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16
Space

The Moon has no liquid water on its surface today.

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17
Space

The Moon's gravity affects ocean tides.

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18
History

In 1835, New York newspapers published a series of fabricated articles about life on the Moon.

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19
Space

The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth.

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20
History

Humans reached the Moon less than 70 years after powered flight.

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21
History

Humans reached the Moon less than 70 years after powered flight.

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22
History

Humans reached the Moon less than 70 years after powered flight.

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23
History

Humans reached the Moon less than 70 years after powered flight.

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24
History

Humans reached the Moon less than 70 years after powered flight.

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25
Space

The footprints left by Apollo astronauts on the Moon may remain there for millions of years because there is no wind to erase them.

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26
Space

The Moon is moving away from Earth at about the same rate fingernails grow.

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27
Space

If you were standing on the Moon, you would see footprints from 1969 that may still be there millions of years from now.

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28
Space

The sun is about 400 times larger than the moon.

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29
Space

The Moon has moonquakes.

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30
Science

If you could fold a piece of paper 42 times, it would reach the Moon.

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