Earth's Moon
2025.06.10 15:10Explore News & Events
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4 min readNASA Mars Orbiter Captures Volcano Peeking Above Morning Cloud Tops
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article 4 months ago Earth's Moon Science Earth’s Moon Moon Home Facts Moon Facts Top Questions Inside & Out Composition Formation Atmosphere Craters Moonquakes Weather Water & Ices Solar Wind Moon in Motion Phases Eclipses Supermoons Tides Tidal Locking Moonlight Observe Daily Moon Guide Observe the Moon Night Viewing Guide Photography Guide Exploration Overview Missions Moon Walkers More Image Gallery Interactives Resources News & Features The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & Dwarf Planets Asteroids, Comets & Meteors The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud Solar System HomeThe Moon
From lighting up our skies to preserving evidence of our solar system’s history, Earth’s closest neighbor plays a pivotal role in the study of our planet and beyond.
Unable to render the provided source Atmosphere Craters Phases Eclipses Formation WaterDoes the Moon Have an Atmosphere?
Yes, but just barely.
In contrast to Earth’s thick layers of air, the Moon’s exosphere is a bit like the haze you get when you whack a dirty rug with a broom: it includes a sampling of particles knocked free by impact. But instead of a rug, these particles come from the lunar surface. Instead of flying through the air, they’re ejected into near-emptiness. And instead of a broom, the Moon is pummeled by space debris.
Learn more Earthrise photographed by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, December 1968, with Earth at gibbous phase as seen from the Moon. NASALunar Craters
Earth's Moon is covered in craters.
Lunar craters tell us the history not only of the Moon, but of other worlds, too. On the Moon, where there’s no liquid water or wind, evidence of our solar system's impact history has been preserved for billions of years.
Read More Pierazzo crater imaged by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. It is located within the north-northwestern extent of ejecta surrounding the Orientale impact basin. NASA/GSFC/Arizona State UniversityMoon Phases
Earth's view of the half-sunlit Moon shifts throughout the month.
As our perspective changes, we observe a pattern known as lunar phases: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent.
How it Works Composite image showing the cycle of Moon phases.The Moon & Eclipses
On Earth, there are two types of eclipses: lunar and solar.
An eclipse occurs when Earth, Moon, and Sun align so that one world casts its shadow on the other. During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth. In a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow darkens the Moon.
How it Works Composite image showing stages of a lunar eclipse.How Did the Moon Form?
Earth’s Moon was born out of destruction.
There are several theories about our Moon’s formation, but almost all share this point in common. Our early solar system was the scene of violent smashups that could end in obliteration or new, larger objects. Those mashed-together objects make up the planets, moons, asteroids and other solar system objects we know today.
Read More Earth’s Moon is thought to have formed in a tremendous collision. NASAUncovering Lunar Water
There’s water on the Moon.
Ancient ice hidden deep in permanently shadowed craters. H20 molecules on the sunlit lunar surface. Humanity's search for water on the Moon began hundreds of years ago. Here's a brief history of discoveries leading up to the confirmation of its presence.
Read More Areas of the Moon’s south pole with possible deposits of water ice, shown in blue. The map is based on data taken by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. NASA Featured VideoMoon Phases 2025
This visualization shows the Moon's phase at hourly intervals throughout 2025, as viewed from the Northern Hemisphere.
About Moon PhasesFeatures
Moon Dust
We can learn a lot from studying Moon dust—and, the Moon's powdery surface presents challenges for human and robotic explorers.
Read MoreLunar Volcanism
The Moon does not have erupting volcanoes today, but it was once flooded with flowing lava.
Read MoreThe Moon & Tides
As distant as the Moon may seem, its gravitational pull plays a huge role in the formation of Earth's ocean tides.
Read MoreLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter ImagE:
Far Side of the Moon
The Moon s far side gets as much sunlight as its near side.
Like Earth, the Moon has a day side and a night side, which change as the Moon rotates. The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission has mapped the entire lunar surface, including the Moon’s near and far sides, down to a scale of one meter.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter ImagE:
Far Side of the Moon
Schrödinger basin, a large crater near the Moon's south pole on the lunar far side, visualized using LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) data. NASA's Scientific Visualization StudioObserve the Moon
Daily Moon Guide
NASA’s interactive map for observing the Moon each day of the year.
Moon Observation Journal
Spend the next month getting to know the Moon.
International Observe the Moon Night
You're invited! Learn more and see how people around the world #ObserveTheMoon together.
Moon Stories
Explore All Moon Stories Image Article 1 Min ReadMoon and Flag at NASA Michoud
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6 Min ReadNASA Studies Reveal Hidden Secrets About Interiors of Moon, Vesta
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