With its silver radiance and cyclical phases, the moon has long been an intriguing sight in the sky. Humans have always been interested in the moon and have done substantial research on it. Nevertheless, despite all the studies, there are still a lot of little-known historical facts concerning it. Ten of them are as follows:
10 Historical Fun Facts About The Moon
- Moonquakes: Contrary to popular belief, the moon is not perfectly motionless. It encounters “moonquakes,” which resemble earthquakes but are brought on by the Earth’s gravity. Moonquakes are brought on by the Earth’s gravitational attraction, which expands and contracts the moon’s surface.
Moonquakes come in two varieties: shallow moonquakes, which happen within 20 kilometers of the surface, and deep moonquakes, which happen up to 700 kilometers below the moon’s surface.
- lunar landing: The Apollo 11 mission in 1969 made the first lunar landing, and five more followed, with the last one being in 1972. All twelve of the American astronauts who set foot on the moon were Americans. There have been several human landings on the moon besides the historic first one.
- The age of the moon: Based on the age of the rocks that were brought back by the Apollo missions, the moon is thought to be 4.5 billion years old.
- Dimensions of the Moon: The moon is the biggest natural satellite in the solar system when compared to its parent planet. With a 3,474 km diameter, it is roughly one-fourth the size of Earth.
- The MoMoonmoon’s “Dark Side” does not have a persistent “dark side.” The same side of the moon constantly faces Earth, while the other side is always facing away from us since the moon spins on its axis in roughly the same amount of time as it takes for it to orbit the Earth. It is frequently referred to as the “far side” of the moon because of this.
- The moon’s impact on tides: The moon’s gravitational pull causes the Earth’s ocean tides to rise and fall. The ocean bulges because the moon’s gravitational pull is greatest on the side of the Earth that faces the moon. Due to this, there are two high tides and two low tides.
- Atmosphere of the moon: The moon has a very thin atmosphere, known as an exosphere. Because it is so thin, the molecules, which are made up of helium, neon, and hydrogen, are widely spread.
- The temperature of the moon varies significantly depending on whether it is illuminated by sunlight or not. The moon’s temperature may rise to 127°C when it is in sunlight, but it can also fall to -173°C when it is in darkness.
- Moon names: The moon is known by a variety of names across cultural and linguistic boundaries. Luna is still a name for the moon in modern astronomy that originated in ancient Rome. The moon was personified as the goddess Selene in Greek mythology, whereas in Hinduism it is referred to as Chandra.
- The moon’s influence on culture: Throughout history, people have drawn inspiration from the moon. It has been used to record time and the seasons and has inspired tales, folklore, and works of art. Numerous prehistoric cultures employed lunar calendars that were made using the moon’s phases. People throughout the world are still fascinated by and inspired by the moon today.
Conclusion
In summary, the moon is an amazing object that has historical details that many people might not be aware of. There is always something new to learn about the moon, from moonquakes to how it affects civilization.