8 Questions About the Moon Answered: Quick Facts

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Photos

Diagram of the Moon's interior in cross section, showing layers including the crust, mantle, moonquake zone, and probable metallic core. The crust is thinner on the near side (left) at 60 km and thicker on the far side (right) at 100 km. Key distances and features are labeled.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands on the Moon in a white spacesuit, with the lunar surface and his shadow visible; Neil Armstrong and the Lunar Module are reflected in his visor.

Two diagrams compare how the Moon and Sun's gravitational pull affect Earth's tides. The left shows aligned Sun, Moon, and Earth causing combined pull and higher high tides, while the right shows the Moon and Sun at right angles, resulting in less pronounced tides. High and low tide areas are labeled around Earth in both diagrams.

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Topics

Where Did the Moon Come From?5 Things People See in the Moon How many moons does Earth have?Lunar eclipse What are the phases of the Moon?How big is the Moon?Earthshine How far is the Moon from Earth?