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The Moon
[Development Theories
| Phases | NEW
Calculate Phase]
The moon is probably the most popular celestial object to look at by all
people on earth. For thousands of years, people have studied how it was formed and what
makes it like it is today. It regulates the migration of birds, and the harvest for
farmers.
Fact: The Earth's moon is unique in the solar system in
that it is so large relative to the Earth.
| 1. |
Capture Theory: The moon was captured by the
gravitational field of the Earth, but this would not explain why the moon orbits the Earth
in the same plane as the earth orbits the sun. Many moons of other planets appear to be
captured satellites, but they are very small and have very odd orbits. |
| 2. |
Twin Theory: The moon formed alongside the Earth during
its early development. However, one would then expect the Earth and moon to be made of the
same material, which they are not. |
| 3. |
Impact Theory: The early Earth was impacted by a large
object, perhaps the size of Mercury. It then jettisoned a large amount of exterior
material into space. This theory explains why the moon is made of mostly lighter material
than the Earth, and why it is so large. The impact theory is now the most widely accepted. |
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| New |
Waxing
Crescent |
First
Quarter |
Waxing
Gibbous |
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| Full |
Waning
Gibbous |
Third
Quarter |
Waning
Crescent |
You can now use our CGI program to calculate the moon
phases during any month and year until 2015. It is easy to read and easy to use. Follow
the link below to access the page:
calculate phases
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