Facts About The Moon: Answering 40+ COOL MOON Questions

There’s so much to learn about the moon, this serene and peaceful sentinel in the night sky.

In this article, we’ll answer the most interesting questions about the moon we could find.

Fun Facts About The Moon Everyone Should Know

What Is The Moon Made Of?

The moon is made of rock, dust, and ice.

The surface of the moon is covered in a thin layer of dust called the regolith.

Beneath the regolith is a layer of solid rock.

The chemical composition of the rock is similar to Earth’s mantle.

How Big Is The Moon?

The moon has a diameter of 3,474 km, making it about a quarter the size of Earth.

How Far Away Is The Moon?

The moon is approximately 384,400 km from Earth.

Does The Moon Have An Atmosphere?

No, the moon does not have an atmosphere.

What Does Moon Dust Smell Like?

If you could smell moon dust, it would probably smell like gunpowder.

This is because moon dust is made up of tiny particles of rock and ice.

When these particles are disturbed, they can create a smell similar to gunpowder.

What Is The Temperature On The Moon?

The temperature on the moon varies depending on where you are.

The side of the moon that faces the sun is much hotter than the side that doesn’t.

The average temperature on the sunny side is about 27 degrees celsius (80 degrees fahrenheit).

The average temperature on the dark side is -23 degrees celsius (-10 degrees fahrenheit).

Does The Moon Have Weather?

The moon has no atmosphere, so it doesn’t have weather like Earth does.

Is There Water On The Moon?

There is water on the moon, but it is not easy to find.

The water is in the form of ice, and it is usually found in craters at the poles.

Does The Moon Rotate?

Yes, the moon rotates on its axis just like Earth does.

It takes 27.3 days to complete one rotation.

What Is The Rotational Speed Of The Moon?

The rotational speed of the moon is about 10 km/hr.

How Long Does It Take The Moon To Orbit Earth?

It takes the moon 27.3 days to orbit Earth.

What Causes The Phases Of The Moon?

The phases of the moon are caused by the changing position of the moon relative to the sun.

When the sun shines on the moon, we see the bright side of the moon (the side that is facing the sun).

This is called the “full moon.”

When the sun is on the other side of the Earth from the moon, we see the dark side of the moon (the side that is not facing the sun).

This is called the “new moon.”

In between the full moon and new moon, we see a crescent moon.

This is because the sun is shining on only part of the moon.

What Causes Lunar Eclipses?

Lunar eclipses happen when the Earth’s shadow falls on the moon.

This can only happen when the sun, Earth, and moon are all lined up in a straight line.

What Causes Solar Eclipses?

Solar eclipses happen when the moon’s shadow falls on the Earth.

This can only happen when the sun, Earth, and moon are all lined up in a straight line.

How Was The Moon Formed?

The most popular theory is that the moon was formed when a giant impactor hit the Earth.

This impactor was so big that it blasted a huge chunk of material into space.

This material eventually coalesced to form the moon.

Another theory is that the moon was formed from material that was already in orbit around the Earth.

This theory is supported by the fact that the chemical composition of the moon is very similar to the Earth’s mantle.

How Long Has The Moon Been There?

The moon has been around for a very long time.

The oldest rocks on the moon are about 4.5 billion years old.

Is The Moon Getting Further Away From Earth?

Yes, the moon is slowly getting further away from Earth.

It is currently about 3.8 cm further away than it was 100 years ago.

Your fingernails grow at about the same rate.

What Are Moonquakes?

Moonquakes are earthquakes that happen on the moon.

They are caused by the same things that cause earthquakes on Earth: the movement of tectonic plates.

What Are Moon Rings?

Moon rings are a type of rock that is found on the moon.

They are made of glass that was formed by the impact of meteorites.

Do Any Animals Live On The Moon?

No, there are no known animals that live on the moon.

Do People Live On The Moon?

No, there are no people living on the moon.

Is The Sun the Same Size as The Moon?

No, the sun is much larger than the moon.

The sun is about 400 times the size of the moon and about 1 million times as bright.

Is The Moon a Planet?

No, the moon is not a planet. It is a satellite of the planet Earth.

What Type Of Rock Is The Moon Made Of?

The moon is made of a type of rock called anorthosite.

Is The Moon a Star?

No, the moon is not a star.

Stars are much larger and more massive than the moon.

Also, stars produce their own light, while the moon reflects light from the sun.

Is The Moon As Asteroid?

No, the moon is not an asteroid. Asteroids are much smaller than the moon.

Also, the moon is not an asteroid because it does not orbit the sun.

It orbits the planet Earth.

Is The Moon a Dwarf Planet?

No, the moon is not a dwarf planet.

Planets orbit the sun (or a star), while moons orbit planets.

Is The Moon a Natural Satellite?

Yes, the moon is a natural satellite.

Is The Moon Bigger Than Earth?

No, the moon is not bigger than Earth.

The moon is about a quarter the size of Earth.

Is The Moon Bigger Than Pluto?

Yes, the moon is bigger than Pluto.

The moon is about twice the size of Pluto.

Is The Moon Bigger Than Mercury?

Yes, the moon is bigger than Mercury.

The moon is about 3 times the size of Mercury.

Is The Moon Bigger Than Mars?

No, the moon is not bigger than Mars.

The moon is about half the size of Mars.

Is The Moon Made Of Cheese?

No, the moon is not made of cheese.

Is The Moon Closer To The Sun Than Earth?

The answer is that it depends.

The moon orbits the Earth; its position is not fixed.

Sometimes the moon is between the Earth and the sun (making it closer to the sun than Earth).

Sometimes the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth away from the sun, making it further away.

Is The Moon Ever Visible During The Day?

Yes, the moon is frequently visible during the day.

The moon reflects sunlight, so it is often visible when the sun is up.

Is The Moon Going To Hit The Earth?

No, the moon is not going to hit the Earth.

The moon is in orbit around the Earth.

It is not on a collision course with the Earth.

Is The Moon In The Earth’s Atmosphere?

Actually, yes! The Earth’s atmosphere is huge, stretching close to 400,000 miles from Earth.

The moon is located around 240,000 miles away from Earth.

Is The Moon Geologically Active?

For many years, researches believed that the moon was not geologically active.

Recent examinations reveal features (called graben) which appear when planetary crust has pulled apart.

A likely conclusion from this evidence is that the moon is still geologically active.

Is The Moon Luminous or Illuminated?

The moon is not luminous; it is illuminated.

Luminous objects produce their own light, like the sun or a light bulb.

Illuminated objects reflect light, like the moon.

The moon reflects sunlight, making it visible at night.