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Moons

Lauren McMullen

@laurenmcmullen

Information on natural satellites (moons) of the Earth and other planets. Includes information collected through unmanned and manned missions to the Moon and information collected from satellites and rovers.

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Lauren McMullen

@laurenmcmullen

Information on natural satellites (moons) of the Earth and other planets. Includes information collected through unmanned and manned missions to the Moon and information collected from satellites and rovers.

Interesting Facts About The Moon - Universe Today

Shining like a beacon in Earth's sky is the Moon. We've seen so much of it in our lifetimes that it's easy to take it for granted; even the human landings.
http://www.universetoday.com/20050/10-interesting-facts-about-the-moon/
Fun Moon Facts for Kids: Interesting Facts about the Earth's Moon - Science Kids

Check out these fun Moon facts for kids. Learn how big the Moon is, who the first person to walk on it was, why we only see one side of it and much more. Read on and enjoy the wide range of interesting facts about the Earth's Moon.
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/space/moon.html
Magnificent Satellites: 10 Spectacular Moons in our Solar System - Mother Nature Network

Experts estimate that there are as many as 170 moons orbiting the eight planets of our section of the galaxy.
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/photos/10-spectacular-moons-in-our-solar-system/magnificent-satellites
The Moons of all the Planets

Go Astronomy: Your guide to the solar system - planets, moons, comets, asteroids and more.
http://www.go-astronomy.com/planets/planet-moons.htm
Moon Facts: Fun Information About the Earth's Moon

Learn how Earth's moon formed, how its orbit affects Earth's tides, why solar and lunar eclipses happen and the history of lunar exploration.
http://www.space.com/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html
How Many Moons are in the Solar System? - Universe Today

To get a definite answer to how many moons are in the Solar System', we will have to narrow our scope to the number of moons orbiting accepted planets.
http://www.universetoday.com/15516/how-many-moons-are-in-the-solar-system/
The Moon: Phases, Orbit and Distance from the Earth

The Moon has been known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. Learn facts and figures.
http://nineplanets.org/luna.html
Table of Moons in Solar System: Discovery, Size and Orbital Period - Windows to the Universe

As of October 2008, there are 176 known natural moons orbiting planets in our Solar System. 168 moons orbit the "full-size" planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune), while 8 moons orbit the smaller "dwarf planets" (Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris).
http://www.windows2universe.org/our_solar_system/moons_table.html
Moon - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is one of the largest natural satellites in the Solar System, and, among planetary satellites, the largest relative to the size of the planet it orbits (its primary). It is the second-densest satellite among those whose densities are known (after Jupiter's satellite Io).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon
List of Natural Satellites (Moons) - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopeda

The Solar System's planets and officially recognized dwarf planets are known to be orbited by 181 natural satellites, or moons. 19 moons in the Solar System are large enough to be gravitationally rounded, and thus would be considered planets or dwarf planets if they were in direct orbit around the Sun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_satellites

Comments

Moon

Near side of the Moon, lunar north pole at top

Designations

Designation

Earth I

Alternative names

Luna
Selene (poetic)
Cynthia (poetic)

Adjectives

Lunar
Selenian (poetic)
Cynthian (poetic)
Moonly (poetic)

Symbol

Orbital characteristics

Epoch J2000

Perigee

362600 km
(356400–370400 km)

Apogee

405400 km
(404000–406700 km)

Semi-major axis

384399 km (1.28 ls, 0.00257 AU)^[1]

Eccentricity

0.0549^[1]

Orbital period (sidereal)

27.321661 d
(27 d 7 h 43 min 11.5 s ^[1])

Orbital period (synodic)

29.530589 d
(29 d 12 h 44 min 2.9 s)

Average orbital speed

1.022 km/s

Inclination

5.145° to the ecliptic^[2]^[a]

Longitude of ascending node

Regressing by one revolution in 18.61 years

Argument of perigee

Progressing by one
revolution in 8.85 years

Satellite of

Earth^[b]^[3]

Physical characteristics

Mean radius

1737.4 km
(0.2727 of Earth's)^[1]^[4]^[5]

Equatorial radius

1738.1 km
(0.2725 of Earth's)^[4]

Polar radius

1736.0 km
(0.2731 of Earth's)^[4]

Flattening

0.0012^[4]

Circumference

10921 km (equatorial)

Surface area

3.793×10⁷ km²
(0.074 of Earth's)

Volume

2.1958×10¹⁰ km³
(0.02 of Earth's)^[4]

Mass

7.346×10²² kg
(0.0123 of Earth's)^[1]^[4]^[6]

Mean density

3.344 g/cm³^[1]^[4]
0.606 × Earth

Surface gravity

1.622 m/s² (5.32 ft/s²)^[4]
0.1654 g₀

Moment of inertia factor

0.3929±0.0009^[7]

Escape velocity

2.38 km/s
(8600 km/h; 5300 mph)

Synodic rotation period

29.530589 d
(29 d 12 h 44 min 2.9 s; synodic; solar day) ( spin-orbit locked)

Sidereal rotation period

27.321661 d (spin-orbit locked)

Equatorial rotation velocity

4.627 m/s

Axial tilt

1.5424° to ecliptic^[8]
6.687° to orbit plane^[2]
24° to Earth's equator ^[9]

North pole right ascension

17^h 47^m 26^s
266.86°^[10]

North pole declination

65.64°^[10]

Albedo

0.136^[11]

Surface temp.	min	mean	max
Equator	100 K^[12]	250 K	390 K^[12]
85°N		150 K	230 K^[13]

Surface absorbed dose rate

13.2 μGy/h
(during lunar daytime)^[14]

Surface equivalent dose rate

57.0 μSv/h
(during lunar daytime)^[14]

Apparent magnitude

−2.5 to −12.9^[c]
−12.74 (mean full moon)^[4]

Absolute magnitude (H)

0.2^[15]

Angular diameter

29.3 to 34.1 arcminutes^[4]^[d]

Atmosphere^[16]

Surface pressure

10⁻⁷ Pa (1 picobar) (day)
10⁻¹⁰ Pa (1 femtobar)
(night)^[e]

Composition by volume

Source : Wikipedia under CC-BY-SA license

Links
Media

Interesting Facts About The Moon - Universe Today

Shining like a beacon in Earth's sky is the Moon. We've seen so much of it in our lifetimes that it's easy to take it for granted; even the human landings.
http://www.universetoday.com/20050/10-interesting-facts-about-the-moon/
Fun Moon Facts for Kids: Interesting Facts about the Earth's Moon - Science Kids

Check out these fun Moon facts for kids. Learn how big the Moon is, who the first person to walk on it was, why we only see one side of it and much more. Read on and enjoy the wide range of interesting facts about the Earth's Moon.
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/space/moon.html
Magnificent Satellites: 10 Spectacular Moons in our Solar System - Mother Nature Network

Experts estimate that there are as many as 170 moons orbiting the eight planets of our section of the galaxy.
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/photos/10-spectacular-moons-in-our-solar-system/magnificent-satellites
The Moons of all the Planets

Go Astronomy: Your guide to the solar system - planets, moons, comets, asteroids and more.
http://www.go-astronomy.com/planets/planet-moons.htm
Moon Facts: Fun Information About the Earth's Moon

Learn how Earth's moon formed, how its orbit affects Earth's tides, why solar and lunar eclipses happen and the history of lunar exploration.
http://www.space.com/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html
How Many Moons are in the Solar System? - Universe Today

To get a definite answer to how many moons are in the Solar System', we will have to narrow our scope to the number of moons orbiting accepted planets.
http://www.universetoday.com/15516/how-many-moons-are-in-the-solar-system/
The Moon: Phases, Orbit and Distance from the Earth

The Moon has been known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. Learn facts and figures.
http://nineplanets.org/luna.html
Table of Moons in Solar System: Discovery, Size and Orbital Period - Windows to the Universe

As of October 2008, there are 176 known natural moons orbiting planets in our Solar System. 168 moons orbit the "full-size" planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune), while 8 moons orbit the smaller "dwarf planets" (Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris).
http://www.windows2universe.org/our_solar_system/moons_table.html
Moon - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is one of the largest natural satellites in the Solar System, and, among planetary satellites, the largest relative to the size of the planet it orbits (its primary). It is the second-densest satellite among those whose densities are known (after Jupiter's satellite Io).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon
List of Natural Satellites (Moons) - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopeda

The Solar System's planets and officially recognized dwarf planets are known to be orbited by 181 natural satellites, or moons. 19 moons in the Solar System are large enough to be gravitationally rounded, and thus would be considered planets or dwarf planets if they were in direct orbit around the Sun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_satellites