1.30 THE MOON

picture from: http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/earthmoon.png

1. How was the Moon formed?
   Two large "planets" crashed into each other causing the planets to get to such high temperatures that the entire planets melted and fused into each other, creating the earth. A part of the other planet broke off to form the moon
2. How old is the Moon?
   4.5 billion years old
3. Why does the Moon only show one side to us all of the time?
   Because the rate of the moons rotation is equal to the orbit speed. It takes 29.5 days to make 1 full orbit around the earth and it takes 29.5 days to rotate once.
4. The Moon is slowly drifting away from us, by how much per year?
   About 2.5 centimeters a year
5. Explain what will eventually happen to it
   It will get to a stable orbit around the earth
6. How much larger is the Sun than the Moon?
   The sun is 72 million times larger than the moon
7. What natural phenomenon does this ratio help to observe?
   Solar Eclipse
8. Insert a video (and source) of the answer to the question above
   
   Source of Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOvWioz4PoQ
9. How far away is the Moon?
   The moon is 384,400 kilometers away
10. What was significant about the 19th March 2011 (regarding the Moon)?
    An extreme super moon, it was the closest the moon's ever been to earth (in our lifetime) so it is 30% brighter
11. Why is there no atmosphere on the Moon?
    Because the gravitational field strength of the moon is too week to hold the atmosphere, solar winds from the sun will just sweep away the moons atmosphere
12. Why is the gravity on the Moon 1/6th than of Earth?
    Because the mass of the moon is less than the mass of the Earth therefore the gravitational field strength is lower
13. How many people have stepped on the Moon? Who was the last?
    12, Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt
14. Why does the Moon orbit the Earth?
    Because of the moon's gravitational pull
15. How many days does it take to orbit?
    29.5
16. What effect does the Moon have on the Earth?
    The moon causes formation of tides
17. Insert a video (and source) of the answer to the question above
    
    Source of video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l37ofe9haMU&feature=related
18. Other planets have moons, find images if those moons
    
    Picture from: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/175532main_Spencer_02.jpg
19. How many moons are there in our solar system? 
    Mercury – 0
    Venus – 0
    Earth – 1
    Mars – 2
    Jupiter – 63
    Saturn – 60
    Uranus – 27
    Neptune – 13
    Pluto – 3
    169 moons