
Where did the Moon come from? - NASA
Moon rocks contain few volatile substances (e.g. water), which implies extra baking of the lunar surface relative to that of Earth. The relative abundance of oxygen isotopes on Earth and on …
StarChild: The Moon - NASA
The Moon is actually a little lopsided due to the lunar crust being thicker on one side than the other. When you look at the Moon, you will see dark and light areas. The dark areas are young …
StarChild: Haumea - NASA
Hi'iaka is the larger moon, while the smaller moon was named Namaka. It is believed that these moons formed as a result of a collision between Haumea and some other body. Haumea is …
StarChild: The Solar System - NASA
The words " solar system " refer to the Sun and all of the objects that travel around it. These objects include planets, natural satellites such as the Moon, the asteroid belt, comets, and …
StarChild: The Asteroid Belt - NASA
An asteroid is a bit of rock. It can be thought of as what was "left over" after the Sun and all the planets were formed. Most of the asteroids in our solar system can be found orbiting the Sun …
StarChild: The Moon - NASA
The Moon travels around the Earth in an oval shaped orbit. Scientists think the Moon was formed long ago when Earth collided with another space object. The collision may have caused a big …
What is an eclipse? - NASA
A partial eclipse will also occur if the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not precisely lined up. The eclipse cannot be total unless the center of the Moon's shadow is able to strike the Earth. The eclipse …
Why is the crescent moon sometimes lit on the bottom? - NASA
It is all a result of the Moon's orbit around the Earth, and the Earth's orbit around the Sun. And exactly when you see the Moon in the shape of a 'U' (lit on the bottom) rather than a backward …
StarChild: Meteoroids - NASA
Large meteorites that crashed onto the Earth long ago made craters like those found on the Moon. The Barringer Meteorite Crater near Winslow, Arizona is believed to have been formed …
StarChild: Eris - NASA
Eris is the most distant member of our solar system known at this time. It is 3 times farther out than Pluto. One trip around the Sun takes 557 Earth years for Eris. Observations of Eris have …