Tour of the Solar System

Tour of the Solar System

The Moon

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Greek Mythology: Diana, known as Artemis in Greek myth, was the goddess of the Moon and of the hunt. Her purity was such that no man was permitted to watch her bathe, which she often did during the Full Moon. Several stories speak of the consequences visited upon men who unexpectedly come upon her during one of these midnight swims. This connection between women and Moon phases, or certain times of the month, appears over and over again in Moon mythologies.

The Moon is a satellite of the Earth. It's distance from the Earth varies because of its elliptical orbit: At perigee, (that time when the moon is nearest the earth), the distance is about 227,000 mi (365,000 km); at apogee, (when it is farthest from the earth), the distance is about 254,000 mi (409,000 km). The average distance is about 240,000 mi (385,000 km), or about 60 times the radius of the earth itself.

The Moon revolves around the Earth with a period of 27 days, 7 hr, 43 min.

The Moon is about 27% the diameter of the Earth, or 2,140 miles (3,476 km).

The gravitational influence of the Moon is mainly responsible for the tides in our Earth's oceans. Twice daily, the sea will rise and fall. These ocean tides are caused by water flowing towards the two points on the Earth's surface that are directly beneath the Moon.