Earth Moon

Cosma / Communication / Knowledge / Realm / Physical / Universe / Solar System / Terrestrial/ Earth / Moon
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Moon : the earth’s natural satellite (see satellite 2a) that shines by the sun’s reflected light, revolves about the earth from west to east in about 291⁄2 days with reference to the sun or about 271⁄3 days with reference to the stars, and has a diameter of 2160 miles (3475 kilometers), a mean distance from the earth of about 238,900 miles (384,400 kilometers), and a mass about one eightieth that of the earth (often capitalized : usually used with the) — Merriam-Webster See also OneLook

Encyclopedia

The Moon is an astronomical body that orbits planet Earth, being Earth’s only permanent natural satellite. It is the fifth-largest natural satellite in the Solar System, and the largest among planetary satellites relative to the size of the planet that it orbits (its primary). Following Jupiter’s satellite Io, the Moon is second-densest satellite among those whose densities are known. The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 384,400 km (238,900 mi),[10][11] or 1.28 light-seconds. — Wikipedia

Moon (Encyclopædia Britannica)

Moon (COSMOS: The SAO Encyclopedia of Astronomy)

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Adventures

Explore related posts on Cosma …

Moon’scapes - There’s no denying that it’s been a rough week for many Earthlings. On the other hand, it’s been a great week for anyone who spends their time more preoccupied with the Moon than with more earthly concerns. That’s because there’s a treasure trove of news about our lunar realm. For example, NASA’s Goddard Media Studios … Continue reading Moon’scapes
September is Corny! - Have you ever noticed that most months tend to be associated with certain adjectives. October is spooky, December is festive, and so on … I think of September as corny! One obvious reason for this is because it’s when corn is harvested and readily available. Another reason is because September is usually the month of … Continue reading September is Corny!
Umbraphiles - umbraphile : One who loves eclipses, often travelling to see them. You’ve probably heard about the April 8th solar eclipse (Wikipedia), and if you live near the path of totality, then you’ve probably also seen news stories like this one. Party in the Path of Totality at These Solar Eclipse Getaways Across New England (Kristi … Continue reading Umbraphiles

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Inspiration

Take a virtual tour of the Moon in all-new 4K resolution, thanks to data provided by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. As the visualization moves around the near side, far side, north and south poles, we highlight interesting features, sites, and information gathered on the lunar terrain. — NASA Goddard

NASA Goddard (YouTube Channel)
Goddard Space Flight Center (Official Website)

Solar System Treks are portals that allow you to visualize, explore, and analyze the surfaces of other worlds using real data returned from a growing fleet of spacecraft. You can view the worlds through the eyes of many different instruments, pilot real-time 3D flyovers above mountains and into craters, and conduct measurements of surface features. Moon Trek integrates a suite of interactive tools that incorporate observations from past and current lunar missions, creating a comprehensive lunar research Web portal. The interface provides navigation, 3D visualization, fly-overs, performance, and reliability. — Moon Trek

Moon Trek (Solar System Treks, NASA, JPL & Cal Tech)

The Moon (Astrum, YouTube Playlist)

Articles about the Moon (Big Think)

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Innovation

Science

Our Moon: the Moon (International Astronomical Union)
The Moon (NASA)

Earth’s Moon Videos (ViewSpace, Space Telescope Science Institute)

The Moon (Planetary Society)
Lunar Exploration (Lunar & Planetary Institute)

Moon (Eric Weisstein’s World of Astronomy, Wolfram Research)
Moon (Wolfram Alpha)

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Preservation

History

On 30 November 1609, Galileo aimed his telescope at the Moon. While not being the first person to observe the Moon through a telescope (English mathematician Thomas Harriot had done it four months before but only saw a “strange spottednesse”), Galileo was the first to deduce the cause of the uneven waning as light occlusion from lunar mountains and craters. In his study, he also made topographical charts, estimating the heights of the mountains. The Moon was not what was long thought to have been a translucent and perfect sphere, as Aristotle claimed. — Wikipedia

The Moon (The Galileo Project)
The View from Galileo’s Telescope (MicroObservatory, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian)

Exploring the moon: From Apollo to Artemis, A Timeline of Lunar Missions (New Scientist, YouTube Video)
About Lunar Exploration From Apollo to the Future (Lunar and Planetary Institute)

Moon Exploration (NASA Science)
NASA’s History (NASA)

Museum

Moon Online Exhibitions (Smithsonian)

Earth’s Moon (Exploring the Planets, National Air and Space Museum)

Library

DDC: 523.3 Moon (Library Thing)
Subject: Moon (Library Thing)

Subject: Moon (Open Library)

LCC: QB 580 Moon (UPenn Online Books)

LCC: QB 580 Moon (Library of Congress)
Subject: Moon (Library of Congress)

Subject: Moon (WorldCat)

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Participation

Education

The Moon – Level 1 (StarChild, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA)
The Moon – Level 2 (StarChild, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA)

Teach with the Moon (European Space Agency)

The Moon (Crash Course Astronomy, YouTube Video)

Earth’s Moons Learning Resources (National Air and Space Museum)

MERLOT: Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching
OER Commons: Open Educational Resources

Community

Organization

Lunar Section (British Astronomical Association)

News

Moon (Nova Research Highlights, American Astronomical Society)
Earth’s Moon (EurekaAlert, AAAS)
The Moon (Astronomy Magazine)
Moon (JSTOR)
Moon (Science Daily)
Moon (Phys.org)

Recent News from Phys.org …

Lab-created 'moon' rock could help scientists...
on June 10, 2026 at 10:30 pm
The moon may look unchanged from afar, but its surface is constantly reshaped by microscopic impacts and a steady stream of particles from the sun, a process known as space weathering. Now, Georgia Tech researchers have recreated one of those weathering sources, solar wind, in the lab—offering new insight into how the lunar surface evolves. Their work is published in The Planetary Science Journal.
Italian astronaut expects home flavors on Artemis...
on June 10, 2026 at 8:10 am
Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano is hoping to bring a taste of his homeland to the Artemis III mission he will pilot near Earth in 2027 to test two lunar modules.
NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test...
on June 9, 2026 at 11:40 pm
NASA on Tuesday revealed the crew for its Artemis III mission, the next step in the space agency's plan to eventually land astronauts on the moon.
Precision measurement under impact—when the...
on June 9, 2026 at 9:20 pm
How do you take measurements using one of the most sensitive scales in the world? Researchers at TU Wien have demonstrated how the measurement process affects not only the object being measured but also the scale itself, and where the absolute limits of precision lie.
Scientists discover a 3.5-billion-year-old...
on June 9, 2026 at 8:00 pm
The first few billion years of Earth's history saw the rise of life, the atmosphere and the oceans. Still, that time is shrouded in mystery: Not many rocks remain that preserve a record of those early iterations of our modern world. Dynamic geologic processes like erosion, subduction and burial mean the surface is constantly being reshaped, and older rocks aren't very common. But that time period is critical to understanding our own origins and how catastrophic events like asteroid impacts […]