1. Moon Info
Created by a real “bum”

2. Synchronous Orbit/Rotation
* The time it takes the moon to rotate once is equal to the time it takes to orbit around the Earth once days
The same side of the moon is ALWAYS facing the earth (called nearside).
We cannot see the Farside from Earth. The 1st time humans saw Farside was 1959 (Soviet Interplanetary Satellite).

4. Farside!!! Image from Apollo 16. Left side is part of nearside.
Greater amounts of Craters and virtually no Maria (dark portions easily visible on Nearside)!!!

5. Earthshine
“dark side” of the moon is illuminated by the Earth’s reflected light.

6. Formation Theories
Simultaneous formation- moon and Earth formed together at the same time from the solar nebula.
Capture Theory- Earth’s gravity captured a large planetessimal early in the formation of the SS.
*** Collision Theory- Mars sized planetessimal collided with Earth. Ejected material coalesced to form the moon.

7. Lunar Features Oceanus (Ocean) Maria (Seas) Sinus (Bay) Lacus (Lake
Mountains (Mountains)
Rille (Valleys)
Craters (Craters)
Rays (Bause needs a rays)

8. Oceanus
Only one. Called Oceanus Procellarum (latin for ocean of storms)
Basaltic lava flow (ancient 3.5 bya)
On Western edge of near side
4,000,000km2

9. Oceanus Procellarum

10. Mare
Several (plural is maria). Largest is Mare Imbrium (Sea of Showers) km diam.
Basaltic lava flow
3.5 bya

11. Mare Imbrium

12. Mare Imbrium

13. Mountains Lunar highlands. The “lighter” portion of the moon.
Formed from cratering, uplifting from impact.
Anorthsites- rocks formed from impact (type of glass)
Elevations can reach 20,000 ft!!! (bigger than the tallest Rocky mtn)

14. Apollo 15 Landing Site Mt. Hadley in background is 15,000 ft high!!!
Side note:
Curvature of earth is 8 in/mile
Moon is 48in/mile

15. Rille Lunar canyons or valleys. 100’s of kilometers long.
Created by: (topic is still under debate and research)
Ancient lava flows
Tectonic movement (there are no Plates on the Moon) caused by crater impacts.

16. Ariadaeus Rille: Taken by Apollo 10 flyby, 1969

17. Craters Impact sites Most occurred early moon evolution.
Young craters have “rays”- extension of craters.
Best viewed near the terminator due to the low sun.
Tycho is the large crater in the southern portion of the moon.

18. Coppernicus
Tycho

19. Impacts
1kg meteor moving 10km/s (called hypervelocity) releases as much energy as 10kg of TNT.
Unlike Earth, Moon has no atmosphere to protect from meteors (shooting stars on Earth are usually caused by a particle the size of sand or a pebble as they burn in the atm). SO, even sand sized meteors make MICRO-craters.

20. Fig. 8.14