The Moon

Question 1

What is the diameter of the Moon?

Answer 1

3500km

Quarter of Earth’s diameter

Question 2

What is the average distance to the Moon?

Answer 2

380,000km (60 Earth Radii)

Question 3

Why do we only see one side of the Moon?

Answer 3

Because the Moon’s orbital period is equal to it’s rotational period.

Question 4

What is the Moon’s rotational period?

Answer 4

27.3 days

Question 5

What is the Moon’s orbital period?

Answer 5

27.3 days

Question 6

What is the Lunar Cycle?

Answer 6

It is the time taken for the Moon to go through a cycle of phases in the sky when observed from Earth.
A lunar month is 29.5 days.

Question 7

Why is the Lunar Month 2.2 days longer than the Moon’s orbital period?

Answer 7

An extra 2.2 days is needed to bring the Moon, the Sun and Earth back into alignment and complete the lunar cycle. diagram

Question 8

How and when did we first see the far side of the moon?

Answer 8

Russian Luna 3
October 1959
Dual lens Camera

Question 9

Who were the first humans to see the far side of the moon directly?

Answer 9

Apollo 8 astronauts in December 1968

Question 10

Describe the Lunar landscape

Answer 10

Lunar seas + Highlands …

Question 11

Describe notable features of the moon

Answer 11

pix

Question 12

Why do we think the highland regions are older than the Lunar seas?

Answer 12

Smaller number of craters in the Lunar seas.

Question 13

What were the objectives of NASA’s Apollo Programme?

Answer 13

To put men on the moon
To collect Lunar Soil and rock for analysis.
To perform scientific experiments (ALSEPS).
To beat the Russians and restore US prestige.

Question 14

Who put the first men on the moon?

Answer 14

NASA’s Apollo missions (1960)
Apollo 11 (1969)

Question 15

What went wrong with Apollo 1?

Answer 15

Launch pad fire
Welded door shut
3 Astronauts unable to escape

Question 16

Describe the Apollo 11 mission.

Answer 16

1969.
Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins.
Lunar Module (LM) Eagle
2.5 hours EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) in Sea of Tranquillity
US Flag planted
Deployed scientific instruments (EASEPs)
LM lift off and Rendezvous with Collins in CM

Question 17

How many Humans have walked on the moon?

Answer 17

12

Question 18

Describe 1 hypothese for the for the formation of the Moon 4.5 billion years ago:

Answer 18

Giant Impact Hypothesis (Big Whack):

Mars sized object (Theia) hit earth causing a large blob of earth’s outer layers melted and merged .
Large amount of Debris thrown into Earth orbit.
This coalesced and cooled to form the Moon

Question 19

Give 3 pieces of evidence to support the Giant Impact Hypothesis.

Answer 19

• Oxygen Isotopes are the same on the Moon and the Earth
• Lack of water and volatile compounds
• KREEP (potassium rare Earth elements Phosphorus) rocks found on Moon